Unconventional
by psychologyofnothing
Summary: You'd be surprised how much a Morty who bleeds every month is worth on the Black Morty Market. Puberty is tough isn't it? But this makes it even tougher. (RickxMorticia)
1. Chapter 1

It had been the third time this week that Rick had kidnapped Morticia from school. And it was only Thursday. The late assignments and missed tests piled up and put a weight on the girls shoulders.

The weight manifested itself as a slouch on Morticia's posture as she walked slightly behind her grandpa Rick, her shaking arms carrying several jars of a dark blue, fleshy substance. She had asked her grandpa what it was out of habit, not that she really cared. He said something like "The placenta of a Thrleemub." Or some other wacky name, why they needed it? Who knows? After awhile it became hard not to become complacent in the face of constant obscurity.

The young teen was irked that he wasn't carrying anything, but refused to ask him for help because she knew it would result in some smart ass answer from him.

"Come on M-Morty, only five mor-URP-more minutes unt-t-til we get to the ship." Rick looked back at his granddaughter shortly before setting his eyes on the ship that was only a little way away.

"O-Okay." She mumbled, wishing desperately to sit down. Her sides and back were cramping so bad.

Where they were, it was sweltering and it had been ever since they had stepped foot on this planet. Sweat stains made themselves apparent under her arms and down her back, even with the copious amount of pungent deodorant she put on, it seemed to do nothing against this heat. She was beginning to become aware that she probably didn't smell too great. Morty knew it was just going to be another thing Rick would complain about once they were in the ship.

'You know what?' She thought,' Fuck Rick, he'll just have to deal with it.'

The brunette was definitely more harsh than usual. She couldn't place a finger on exactly why though. All she could do was point to symptoms that exacerbated her discomfort.

Her face was shiny with grease from today and she could tell she was going to get pimples from it. Whenever the blessing of a small warm wind hit her, it caused her hair to stick to her wet face, blinding her temporarily. She was starving. Craving junk food mostly, but would've accepted anything, because she hadn't eaten in about seven hours, so that didn't help. She felt quite a bit more emotional than usual too, almost crying right in front of Rick today for something as common as him mocking her. Luckily he didn't catch that his "joke" actually hurt her, which just would've given rise to more ridicule.

He told her that her arms looked like noodles, and of course Morticia had to prove him wrong, that's why she was carrying everything now.

The worst thing though, out of everything, was how horny she was. God she just wanted to lay down, watch some porn, rub one out and go to sleep. But that would have to wait.

The one she had her lustful eyes on was walking right in front of her.

She was fully ashamed of the attraction. It had been this way ever since the man had shown up in her life and turned it upside down. She had to guess that since she only knew of him for the past year or so that her subconscious didn't accept Sanchez as her grandparent. Or maybe it did and the attraction was Freudian in origin. Or something like that, it wasn't like she was a psychologist or anything. Despite him being a major ass, the high schooler couldn't deny her desire for him. He was not particularly handsome or even muscular, but what really made her weak in the stomach and allowed her to let herself to be swept up into these crazy adventures while her grades took a nosedive was that he showed her so much attention. The looks of pride when his plans went through, the hair ruffles Rick would give her when she did something especially Morty. Hell even when ever she would get them into trouble and he had to save their hides and how he would scold her as she hugged him gratefully afterwards, even if he quickly pushed her away.

'He cares for me more than anyone in the universe, I think... I hope. That's what makes him unconventionally sexy.' Morticia let the nice thought passed through her mind before Rick turned back and called for her to pick up the pace.

She sighed, it sure felt like he didn't care about her sometimes. Sure his optimistic ramblings when he spouted off promises to her while he was drunk felt validating, but they were just words. The rest of the time he acted like she was the most inconvenient thing since wet socks. There is no in between. The saying that a drunk mans' words are a sober mans' thoughts is all well and good but where does his actions fit into that dialectic? Do thoughts and words actually matter?

Morticia didn't know, it wasn't like she was a philosopher or anything. Her head hurt

Rick had stopped right in front of her and she almost ran into him. They were at the ship. He opened up the door and stepped in.

"O-oh my god, Thank, Thank god." Morty stepped into the hot saucer and set the jars down in the back of the vehicle. She stood up, chest in the air with pride.

"Now wh-what do you think about me having n-noodle arms? Huh? Huh? Rick?" Morty gloated.

"Uh that you still have them? And you carried all the placenta just to disprove something that's trEUGHue." Rick said, not even giving her a glance as he started up the ship and began take off.

Morty tripped over her own feet during the take off, "Geez, R-Rick, warn me before you take off."

"If you paid attention like any normal person then I wouldn't have to." Rick snapped back.

Her eyebrow twitched.

Okay as horny as she was, Rick was seriously starting to grate at her composure. The sky went dark as they left the atmosphere. She huffed and sat down in the passenger seat and buckled up. Morticia grabbed her pink headband out of her hair and ran her fingers through the wet tangles.

"Oh my god M-Morty! You fucking stink!" Rick sneered. He turned up the A/C all the way.

"And I-I-I-I-I'm sure you smell just d-dandy." She retorted, giving him an angry look.

Rick returned the gesture. "No this is not normal BO, what are you eating? You smell like a wet dog."

"Rick! I've been sweating for five hours s-straight! I'm a teenager, w-w-we smell bad." Morty crossed her arms.

"Did you even wear deodorant?!" Rick pinched his nose.

"O-of course I did!" Morty shouted, her face heating up with rage.

"God, i-it's so bad." Rick spoke with disgust.

"OK CAN YOU JUST DROP IT!" Morty snapped, the volume of her voice even catching her off guard.

The air rung with silence.

"Jesus." The old man whispered.

Rick was quiet until they got back home, about twenty minutes. Morty looked out the window the entire time. Despite the feud, her panties were wet... super wet. but this felt different, weird. She would check what was going on in her bedroom.

They landed in the garage and finally the silence was broken. "Rick y-you say such, such kind things to me sometimes, and I-I almost believe you too, but then you go around and act like I'm a-a burden." Morty said tiredly and stood up.

"You are a burden, now come on help me with the placenta, noodle arms." Rick gave the fifteen year old a small shove.

Rick didn't know it but that did it for Morticia Smith. "IF I'M SUCH A BURDEN THEN WHY DO YOU MAKE ME COME WITH YOU ON ALL THESE MISSIONS?!" Tears started forming in the girls eyes.

"Oh my God! You are too loud!" Rick got in Morty's space and towered over her. "I take you with me because I-I-I-I need your dumb brain waves to cancel out my genius ones! We've had this discussion!" He jabbed her in the chest with his finger on the words 'your dumb brain waves' to get his point across. "I thought you were just an idiot, not an amnesiac."

Morty felt hot tears running down her cheeks. "You're a-a-awful..." They've been through all these things before but for some reason all of this hurt just as bad as when she had first heard it. By now he would be apologizing for his belligerent behavior and would be giving her a noogie. But he was unyielding today.

"Now shut up. What has gotten into you?" He grabbed her wrist.

She growled in frustration, kicking a jar and shattering it against the interior of his ship and yanked away from him. "Fuck you." She ran out of the vehicle and into the house uncharacteristically fast.

"You're gonna pay for that you little shit!" Rick shouted back even though she was gone, not that he was actually going to hurt Morticia... he thought.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Their was goo and liquid all over the floor. It was so much that he almost missed something on Mortys' chair.

It was a small red oval, right where she was sitting, it looked like drying blood.

Everything made sense now.

The irritability, the fatigue, the sweat, the smell.

"Oh shit." Rick said to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Morticia ran upstairs, straight past her father and sister. Slamming the door as she ran in, she let herself fall on her bed.

She sobbed quietly into her pillow. It was insane how incredibly terrible she felt. It was an intense gut wrenching sadness and a mind splitting anger. Despite the cool air in the house, the girl was sweating.

'You are a burden.' She recalled Ricks words. Thinking about it made the feeling worse, remembering that no one really matters to Rick, just himself. She really thought maybe that he was changing

But she couldn't let her wishful thinking trick her, now could she? Trick herself into believing she meant anything other than how Rick saw everyone else: a means to an end.

Even with coming to this depressing conclusion, it still hurt to find out you don't mean as much as you thought you did to someone you care about, even lust over.

She stayed in this position for fifteen or so minutes until she lifted her head up and wiped her tears. She was all out of fluids. She knew something that would temporarily make her feel better.

The teen grabbed her laptop and booted it up, connecting her headphones. Laying on her back in her bed, she put the computer on her stomach as she opened an incognito tab.

Morty sniffed a little as she typed in ' ' in the URL bar.

The home screen showed a variety of dirty videos and their equally as nasty names. Most of it was really degrading stuff, but that is what got Morty's rocks off.

A few pages in, she saw something that caught her eye... silver-fox porn. She clicked it then closed all the ads that popped up and then pressed play.

Morticia's body began relaxing and she slipped her hand down her jeans and beneath her underwear. A bit eager to climax, she slipped a finger in straight away.

She gasped. She was so wet. Not in a 'I'm so horny.' Way either. It felt not right. She took her hand out and looked at her finger.

Her eyes widened and she almost comically took a double take.

It was covered in blood.

"Oh shit." She whispered.

She had started her period.

She couldn't believe it. On such a horrible day she had to start her period. First the cramps, then the sweat, then the smell, then the fight and now she started her period?!

It suddenly dawned on her. It wasn't a coincidence. All these things were an effect of her starting, except for Rick being a dick that was all on him.

She set her laptop to the side and stood up. She was honestly scared to look at her panties but she knew it had to be done.

She pulled her jeans down and bit her lip. Well now she knew that she had bled through her underwear because there was blood all over her pants.

"Oh my g-god." She stammered. She wondered how long it had been that way and if any one had noticed.

'Oh god...' she put her hand over her gaping mouth. What if Rick noticed or what if she bled on Ricks seat.

'He'd deserve that.' She thought begrudgingly.

She then focused on the task at hand. She looped her fingers in the fabric of the cheap underwear.

Her eyes focused on the giant stain.

"W-whoa..."

Well looks like she was going to have to throw these away.

The teen felt lightheaded from the sight. It was just so much blood. Her underwear were almost completely crimson.

She really didn't know what to do right now, she just stood there staring.

Until she heard a knock on the door. She straightened and shouted. "Go away Rick!"

"Morty, it's Summer! Are you okay?"

"O-oh... yeah I'm okay..." The younger girl answered.

"Can I come in?" The ginger asked.

"Yeah, h-h-hold on." Morty pulled her clothes back on and wiped her bloodied finger on her trousers. Opening the door, she let her older sister in.

"Hey S-Summer." She scratched the back of her head and looked down. She probably looked like shit, she knew she smelled like it.

However even though this was the case, she felt her sister wrap her up in her arms. Morticia stunned for a few seconds, gave into the embrace.

"Dammit, Rick can be a dick sometimes. What did he do this time?" Summer broke the contact and looked for answers in Morty's eyes.

"I'll, uh, tell you in a second... C-can I get some advice?" The brunette tapped her fingers nervously together.

"Is it about your period?" Summer asked.

"H-H-How did you know?!" Was it that obvious?

"Because when Rick came in and we asked what was wrong with you he just started spouting off about how you were on your period and just generally shit talking you." Morty was mortified, so Rick DID notice, even worse he was openly talking about it in front of the family.

"What?! W-What is wrong with him!" A new rage was filling up the girl. She tried to push past Summer to confront him in his room but was stopped.

"It's okay, we can both yell at him together in a few minutes. But you need a small lesson on, ahem, Aunt Flo." Summer gave her an awkward wink.

"Oh g-gosh, S-Summer, I mean, uh, I-I-I already know about all this stuff." Morty went a little red.

"How about birth control? Or protected sex?!" Morty knew all too well the ends and out of these things, it would be impossible to not be informed with her being on the Internet so much. Summer was getting strangely hyped by this. But Morticia guesses she didn't mind it, after all the two didn't share much in common anyways, she guessed now that having periods was a conversation subject now.

"Yeah ah-ahahah... can I just have a p-p-pad." She smiled sheepishly.

"Sure! Grab a change of underwear and pants. The pads are underneath the bathroom sink." Summer walked off but then added rather maturely. "And meet me in my room afterwards so we can plan how to bring up his behavior to mom."

Morty smiled. She felt like she was young again. Her and Summer making little 'plans' for talking to a mean kids parents.

She guessed Rick was a mean kid now.

She opened her drawers to grab a darker pair of underwear and a looser pair of jeans.

In the bathroom she didn't have much difficulty with the pad, it was just as simple as it seemed. She threw away the wrapper and the soiled pair of panties. As she walked to Summers room she put the jeans in the bottom of the hamper.

Summer was on the edge of her bed texting on her phone. When she heard her sibling she looked up and patted the area beside her.

"So what happened?" Summer asked genuinely interested as Morty sat down.

"It was just Rick being more Ricky than usual." She sighed,"He said I had noodle arms, then he said I smelled like a dog, then he said I don't matter to him that much..." Morty sniffled. Oh god, she was not going to let herself cry again.

"Oh my god!" Summer cried out. "Okay. So no plan, this is simple. We just go down and confront him."

"A-A-A-Are you sure that's a good idea Summer?" Morticia hunched her shoulders slightly.

"I am absolutely sure. He's just been bagging on you more and more lately, I don't know what his deal is." So Summer noticed it too? The redhead stood up and crossed her arms. "He has no right coming into this house and mocking you."

"Well... T-Technically it wasn't in the house." She said meekly. "And i do smell really bad..."

"You know what I mean." Summer whiffed her younger sister. "No you don't. It's just sweat, because he was working you so hard today, I don't know where he's getting the dog part."

The taller of the two grabbed the smallers' wrist and pulled her lightly out of the room and down the stairs.

Summer knocked obnoxiously loud on Ricks door. "Open up Rick!"

Nothing.

She tried again.

Zilch.

She unsuccessfully tried to twist the door knob.

"Dad can you get the master key?" She said loud enough that Rick would be able to hear.

Jerry, being more than enthused to jump on a moment to get mad at Rick, ran and got the key.

"Rick if you don't open up by the count of three I'm coming in!" Jerry sounded all too smug.

"Oneeeee."

"Twoo-"

The door swung open Rick looking all too sober and all the more angry.

"Shove it Jerry! You really think I didn't change the lock?" He shouted.

He looked down at the children. "What the fuck do you want?"

In that instant all three broke into arguing.

It was discordant and Rick could only catch pieces of what each family member said.

Jerry saying something like, "Don't talk to my kids that way."  
Summer with "How dare you come in our house and treat us like that."  
And finally little Morty with tears threatening to spill over "You're a real piece of shit, you know?"

He grabbed the sides of his head, covering his ears. "Oh my God!" They just kept going, nothing was coordinated. They were continuously shitting on him.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled.

He grabbed from a container a handful of sand or maybe dust. He blew the substance in their direction. It got Jerry and Summer first with them having quite a few inches on Morticia. They started coughing and cursing. Before it got to Morty, Rick yanked her in his room behind him.

The two stopped coughing and looked confused with glazed over eyes.

"What's happening?" Summer asked. "What was I doing?"

"You two idiots were about to go to the couch and watch TV and leave me alone." Rick rolled his eyes.

Summer and Jerry slowly made their way to the couch and turned it on.

Rick shut the door and turned his attention to Morty.

"W-What did you d-do to them?!" Morty yelled, she lurched towards the door, not wanting to be in the same room with Rick alone. She knew it would only end up with him belittling her and with no one to stick up for her.

He blocked the door.

"Oh no, y-y-you're not leaving, punk." He stepped closer to Morty. She stepped back, her knees slightly bent. "Don't worry about you dad and sister, they won't remember the last hour or the next two."

Rick was starting to scare her. His breath barely smelled like booze.

"R-Rick, maybe y-y-y-you should have a drink. I think you're uh too s-s-sober for your own g-good now." Morty continued stepping away from the towering man.

"No you wanted to talk so fucking bad, you brought the whole d-damn crew down on my ass. So l-lets fucking talk."

"Rick, s-stop." Mortys' eyes stayed on the door. Waiting until he was far enough. Just a little more.

Her foot stepping backward touched the wall. Well it was now or never

She let out her signature yell,"eeeeEEEEEEEE!" She made a quick side step, ducking under her grandfathers arms.

The man recovered the failed attempt, twisted around and successfully grabbed her by the back of her t-shirts' neck.

The teenager tripped and fell to the ground, briefly being choked by her collar. The air was knocked out of her and to Rick it was clear that she wasn't going to get up soon. He let go of the now stretched out fabric.

"Stay down there Morticia." Rick muttered. "Don't speak, just listen. Got it?"

"Yeah, ok." She said with winded resignation.

He sighed. And sat in his swivel chair. "So. You've started your period! Congratu-fucking-lations." He said with fake eagerness. "Not only will you have to deal with this shit every month but you've doubled my problems."

Rick reached over for his laptop," Let me explain."


	3. Chapter 3

Hers a boring chapter lmao

to the guest who said I was a moron: Senpai u are so rite! I changed my cover to honor u I'm ur whore

Toki: lmao I never bash my precious reviewers

* * *

Morty's head spun and was utterly empty as an effect of defeat. The only thing she paid attention to was the clacking sound Rick made on the keyboard with his thin fingers.

The girls breath came in long inhales and short huffs. Her chest was killing her and it was hard to breathe but she feared moving as her grandpa seemed unstable at the moment.

"Okay. Look at this." Rick set the chrome and glowing cerulean device down in front of the teens face, and completely flattened it. It was obvious that Rick had built this himself, as Morty didn't think anyone on earth could've constructed something like this, at least not in this century.

A hologram popped up from the middle of the laid out laptop. The image seemed to be a bunch of files on the different Mortys' from the multiverse.

Rick stuck his finger in the projection and scrolled sideways through the different profiles.

"This is a catalog of all of the registered Mortys' on the citadels database. It's not up for public viewing so I had to hack into it." Rick clicked a drop down menu and clicked a tab which appeared to lead to some settings menu. It was hard to tell with it being in an intergalactic language.

He checked two boxes and hit a button. The screen of faces appeared again but this time it was only female Mortys'.

He tapped on the photo in the middle of the projection.

The Morty was of course similar looking to her but was a shade or two darker than her.

"Morty of GX5O, assigned female at birth. Registered as fertile at the age of 14.466 Earth years. Reported as missing at the age of 14.748 Earth years."

He closed out and flicked over to another Morty. She looked much younger, her hair was much longer and tied into braid that laid over her shoulder.

"Morty of K168, assigned female at birth. Registered as fertile at the age of 10.156 Earth years. Reported as missing at the age of 11.267 Earth years."

Morticia gasped, but said nothing. 'She started so young, poor girl.'

He brought up another Morty. She looked significantly strange. She had dyed black hair that reached her shoulders, with black lipstick and apparel to match.

"Morty of 666J, assigned as female at birth. Registered as fertile at the age of 14.209 Earth years. Reported as missing at the age of 16.609."

He closed out and swiped his finger passing several different files before stopping.

This Morty looked even more different looking than the last one. The sides of her head were shaved. She wore a yellow muscle shirt. It complimented her arms which were... well muscly. A stern look was worn by her.

"Morty of 5N45, man assigned as female at birth. Registered as fertile at the age of 12.364 Earth years. Reported as missing at the age of 17.010 Earth years."

'Huh.' The young girl thought. She guessed they were a 'he', anyways he lasted longer out of the rest of them.

Rick picked up the laptop, closing the projection.

"And that is just the beginning, M-Morty. There are thousands of reports just like that. And maybe a-a-a hundred reports of fertile female Mortys' that _aren't_ MIA."

This all felt stupid to the person still on the ground. 'Okay so? It's a weird coincidence.' She thought tiredly.

"And no Morty it isn't a c-c-c-coincidence, I can tell by your stupid unaffected face. Just stand up and talk to me." The old man expressed with irk.

"Ugh Rick, you're so mean." Morty whispered mainly to herself. She pushed up her body and rose to her feet.

"UgH rIcK, yOu'Re So MeAn." Rick mocked.

The brunette knitted her eyebrows together and growled low in frustration. "Okay Rick, so what does this mean for me?"

"O-O-Oh my god, are you really this thick? You're in danger." Rick rolled his eyes. He took a swig from a flask that he pulled from his lab coat. Which was a good sign for Rick, he was trying to slow his racing thoughts.

"Well I know that! But what are we going to do about it? The system probably already has down that I started."

"They don't, but it's a law made by the council of Ricks that us Ricks have to report things like this to the citadel for their Mortys' 'protection'."

Morty sat on the edge of Ricks bed, across from the man. "So shouldn't we report it? If the citadel can protect us."

Rick face palmed. "The whole reason these Mortys' are disappearing i-i-is and because there are most likely some Ricks like me who hack into the database and are looking for Mortys' like you."

"The Council of Ricks has to know about this r-r-right? A-A-About how most fertile Mortys' have disappeared?" This information was starting to make Morticia nervous, a knot of dread made itself clear in her stomach.

"Yeah. To try and help stop the kidnappings they made a medication for those who register as fertile. It blocks all symptoms that are the most apparent to Ricks. Mainly the irritating dog smell." Rick turned away and began typing again on the computer.

"...Is it really that bad?" Morticia swallowed.

"I-I-It's like if you found the dirtiest dog and pulverized it until it made an essential oil. And then constantly r-rubbed the juice inside my nose. So yeah, I guess you could say it's bad, _Morty_." He shot her a quick evil-eyed look.

"Sheesh Rick... I-I'm not doing this on purpose o-o-or anything like that." Morty stared at her shoes and bit the inside of her cheek.

"Yeah, w-well join the club." Rick swiveled around with the gadget in his lap. "Not only do you smell awful on your period, but it pisses me off."

"You-you-you can't help getting pissed?" The girl looked at him with a grimace and a lifted eyebrow.

"That's what I just said. That's why we've got to st-st-steal some medicine Morty. Here look." Rick turned the hologram back on. And another masculine doppelgänger of the teen popped up. They sported a not-too-high ponytail that was only a few inches long, and an eyepatch. "This Morty, from F566, just started her cycle a week ago. We can go steal her daily pills. Her Rick, K18ε6, is an idiot. Or should I say 'Rita'" He swiped to a picture of an abnormal feminine Rick. Wall-eyed, buck-toothed, with shoulder-length hair and uneven bangs. And of course what differentiated her more than most Ricks' was the giant sincere grin on her face.

"Aw shucks, I don't know Rick. I-I-I mean we couldn't steal a shipment of her pills, it's dangerous for them e-e-e-especially since sh-she's on the database." Morty would feel guilty for that.

Rick took a swig from his flask again. "Don't w-URP-orry Morty, we aren't stealing their shipment." The teenagers body relaxed a bit in relief. "We are stealing their whole subscription."

"WHA-W-We can't do that!" Morticia's voice cracked. "She'll get abducted!"

"Sucks to suck." Rick stood up and grabbed the portal gun on his nightstand and attempted to type in the dimension, before Morticia got to her feet, catching the barrel of the object in an instinctive move.

"No R-Rick, we can't." Morty pursed her lips and tried to pull the gun away.

Rick tugged the apparatus away only to bring his granddaughter with it. " _We_ can't do it, but _I_ will. Now let go Morty!"

"You let go! Even if you get them I won't take them." She censured, the tug-o-war continuing.

Rick squinted his eyes. "O-Oh really?"

"Y-yeah, Rick I-I won't let you ruin their lives." Morty pulled harder.

"Fi-EUGH-ne." Rick released the portal gun, Morty stumbling back and falling on her butt.

Rick put a hand on his hip.

"W-Well I hope you like hot flashes and not 'ringing the devils doorbell' because the only other choice is a full hysterectomy."

"What. No. Rick, come on you're like a genius o-o-o-or something," She stood up and grasped her hands together. "you've got to have some type of other solution. Some gadget or gizmo that can help me, or like make some kind of s-serum."

"I can't make one right now Morty!" He raised his voice. " I can't do anything around you right now! Not with the smell. Hell, I-I-I can't even get drunk!"

"What-Why not?" Questioned Morty.

"I'll lose control, Morty, you don't understand. Your smell. It's pissing me off so bad, I literally might f-fucking murder you if I'm not sober." He stepped closer and in a quiet but threatening voice, he gritted through his teeth, "Now are you going to let me get those pills?"

"R-Rick, no..." Morty stood strong by her decision.

Rick growled and raised his hand, as if to slap her. Expecting a blow, the girl flinched.

But it never came.

Opening her eyes slowly, she saw Rick clenching his raised hand, breathing deeply.

He turned on his heel without a word and opened the door of his room. Morticia followed him at a distance out of his room and to the garage. All the while shouting "Rick!"

He didn't listen. In the garage. He fiddled with a collar-like device and a screwdriver.

"What are you d-doing?" She tilted her head.

He set the screwdriver down, "Keeping you safe."

Morticia allowed the older man approach her and click the collar around her neck.

Rick walked towards the ship, opened the door and got in. When the teenager tried to enter, he put a hand in front of her.

"I'll see you in a week." Were his last words he sighed out before he closed the door and opened the garage door.

"Wait! Where are y-you going?"

But the vehicle was already past the threshold and in the air.

Morty tried to run outside but before she stepped into the sunlight the collar shocked her and she collapsed, the last thing she remembered was seeing the garage door close before passing out.

* * *

Lmao I hate the hospital


	4. Chapter 4

AHHHHH XD I GOT SO DRUNK TODAY IT WAS GREAT.

Here's a chapter I write during that time ;3

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Morticia's eyes had been glued to the window all day. Ignoring the pile of classwork and homework on her desk that Summer had been bringing her for the past few days, and instead searching for that familiar saucer.

In her head was a swirl of emotions that took their turns overwhelming the gIrl. The anxiousness of what Rick was going to be like when he came back. The anger at Rick for just leaving without so much as an explanation and trapping her in the house with the electro-collar. The dread of the knowledge that she's endangered of being body-snatched by a malicious Rick. And the worst, the small gnawing fear that he has up and abandoned his family once more, and will never be seen from any of them again.

But a small bubble of hope swelled in Mortys' chest, fueled by memories of Rick being there for them, saving her hide and bonding over their adventures.

'He is coming back. He wouldn't do that to us, to me.' She hoped more than anything.

The brunette broke her gaze from the dusk sky. She went back to rehearsing what she was going to say when Rick was back.

She wasn't sure about what approach she would take. On one hand she was furious with him for how he treated her. But on the other… she simply wanted to hug him as soon as she saw him.

She rolled out of her bed and tread to her mirror. She saw a pale, sleep-deprived girl with a tangled mess of hair wearing the same pajamas from the past few days.

"God." She croaked.

It certainly had been quite the week for the young Smith. She wouldn't be surprised if she had a gray hair or twenty.

It had all started when she woke up on the floor of the garage.

She was cold and her body ached from the awkward position she had blacked out in. Twisted on her side, one leg bent, the other straightened out. She pushed herself up, joints popping as she did so.

Sitting there in the dark, she went through the events that led up to her taking a concrete nap.

Rick left. After being the biggest ass in the multiverse, he just left because she was on her period.

She bit her lip. Tears running down her cheeks.

She slowly stepped towards the door into the house with her arms stretched out in front of her so to not bump into anything.

Walking into the house, Morty was stopped by her mom before she could go upstairs to throw a pity party in her room.

"Hey sweetheart, dinners ready." Beth called from the dining room. "What's with the collar?" She tilted her head.

"I-I'm not so hungry mom." She lied. Beth saw right through her and could hear the sadness in her daughters voice.

The blonde walked over and put a hand on the young girls shoulder. "What's wrong Morty?"

"I-It's nothing, I just don't feel good." Morty shrugged her hand off. Morty tried walking up the stairs again but Beth caught her by the hand softly. Morty turned to face her.

"Is it about Rick?" Beth asked, an eyebrow lifted.

Morty looked down and sighed. "Yeah."

"Goddammit dad what have you done this time?" Beth muttered to herself.

"He left m-m-mom." Mortys voice quaked. She began weeping, descending the few steps that separated her from the older woman. The teenager wrapped her arms around Beth and cried into her chest.

"Morticia, what's wrong?" Beth asked again, more worried this time. "Why so emotional? What did he do?" She stroked Mortys hair.

"H-H-He left because I started my p-period." She confessed.

"Wait you started your per-" she started. "Nevermind, that's insane! Are you sure that's why he left? Why would he leave because of that?"

If she was honest with herself, Morty was just as confused as her mom.

"I don't k-k-know, he just said it pissed him off too much and left!" She sniffled, "He said he would be back in a week."

Beth rolled her eyes. "He's probably just being his normal asshole self. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

"I don't know m-mom, he was really angry with me today and for l-l-like no reason."

"Oh Morty, come on." She pulled away from the embrace. "Let's eat dinner and talk, I'm sure you'll feel a little better after that. Ok?"

Morty nodded her head.

Dinner was a painful reminder of all of the days events. Mortys parents, especially Jerry, wanted to hear every detail. She told them almost everything, beside the fact that she could be kidnapped by some weirdo or that Rick almost slapped her in fear of their reactions.

After she finished her story, she listened silently to the whole family talk shit about Rick, which he deserved.

They all decided they would give Rick a serious reality check whenever he returned. Morty didn't care she was just tired and wanted to rest.

Summer had tried to give her the same talk she had given her earlier that day, the one about "Aunt Flo" and birth control but Morty excused herself from the dinner table to shower and go to bed.

However sleeping wasn't in the cards for Morticia Smith that whole week.

Morty had tried several different ways of getting out of the house. All the windows, all the doors, even trying to remove the collar, but it wouldn't budge. Every attempt to leave the abode ended with a painful shock that knocked her to the ground.

She spent most of her time playing video games or washing her bloodied sheets and clothes at first at least. Even with the heavy duty pad she used at night time she always found in the morning that her pajama pants and bed sheets were stained red where her tailbone had been. She gave up on cleaning them.

As the week went on, the stress of where Rick was consumed most of her thoughts. And when the girl wasn't thinking about that, she shivered at the thought of being abducted. In fact, that was what kept her up at night. Every time she heard a creak of the house or shuffle from outside she shot up and looked out the window and around her room.

To calm herself, she slipped her hand past her pants' elastic and thought of her grandpa. These lustful thoughts had been going on for so long she held almost no shame as she climaxed to the taboo images in her mind of her and Rick intertwined.

The only negative thing she felt about it was that she knew it would never happen, especially now that he seems disgusted with her and her cycle.

She quit showering, quit changing from her pajamas to her day clothes, quit doing her homework.

As her period got lighter, she knew she was closer to seeing Rick again.

Then the seventh day passed.

Morty looked out her window again, the sky darker than before. Her fear of abandonment intensified.

'Where is he? He should be here by now.' She bit her fingernails that Summer had insisted on painting for her a few days ago.

The brunette checked her phone. It was 9:46 pm and she received a text. Her heart stopped.

*hey its jessica*

The phone buzzed again.

Dropping the phone on the bed she went through what Summer had told her earlier today. Something like some kids that shared homeroom with Morty were worried about her and she gave them her number.

Morticia scolded her sister saying that they probably just wanted to pick on her. She never imagined Jessica would notice that she was gone.

She had a crush on the redhead ever since the third grade, but she was so out of her league that Morticia romanticized her from afar. Hell she didn't even know if the prep was into girls, especially sweaty awkward ones like the Smith.

But now she was texting her!

Morty was dying to know what the text read, but at the same time she was terrified to read it.

Her curiosity got the best of her and she picked up the phone.

*this is morticia smith rite?*

The young girl squealed, face flushed. She texted back immediately.

*yeah..*

Seconds later Jessica replied.

*how r u feeling? a lot of us in class r wondering about u*

'Oh yeah.' Morty thought, 'Summer told everyone I was really sick.'

The girl paced frantically around the room thinking of a response.

*I'm doing better, just a really bad flu.*

*oh ur sister said u had mono*

Morty stopped in her tracks. 'Dang Summer, way to be dramatic.'

*oh that's what I meant.*

*so the kissing disease? who have u been kissing ;)*

Morty blushed even harder, how was she supposed to reply to that?

But another text came in before the teen had a chance to respond.

*just kidding haha im just texting u to give you the answers 2 some of the math homework*

Text after text started coming in. Pictures of the homework that had been given in Mr. Goldenfolds class blew up her phone.

Wow, Jessica really was perfect. So considerate and friendly.

'Unlike Rick' she thought.

She typed on the touchscreen with shaky hands.

*omg thank you so much Jessica.*

*np btw homeroom wanted me 2 tell u hi so hi*

'Did homeroom really say that?' Morty grinned.

*Tell them ditto :)*

*well im going 2 bed, get some sleep morty. nite*

*goodnight*

Even though the whole ordeal only lasted a few minutes it left Morty shook. She read through the texts again and again and again, every time not believing that she had actually had a private conversation with Jessica. It was a dream come true.

Morticia was flying high. Situations of making friends with Jessica and her posse and climbing the social ladder at school filled her head. She couldn't wait to see the popular girl at school tomorrow.

She frowned, feeling the collar. Her mood plummeted.

She wouldn't get to see her tomorrow. Not with Rick gone.

'Damn him.' The teen cursed the old man in her mind.

Checking the time again, 9:54 pm, she speculated if the genius was close to home yet. As she was about to check the window again, she remembered what her crush texted her 'get some sleep morty'.

She was right. Morticia was not going to let her lose another night of sleep over Rick, he wasn't worth it. Morty had her own life out side of him. She had some acquaintances at school, hobbies, homework, heck some places even hired fifteen year olds so she could probably get a job. Screw Rick and his stupid adventures, since he hated her so much he could do them by himself.

The girl tiptoed out of her room and down the stairs to the kitchen. Everyone was either asleep or trying to get there.

She opened the medicine cabinet and searched for her dads Ambien.

She found the half full bottle of pills and swallowed one dry.

She put the medicine back where she found it and ascended the stair case.

Morty tucked herself into bed in her dark room.

On her phone, she looked up 'how to know if a girl likes you'. She clicked on a wikihow link and began reading.

Before she knew it she was deep asleep.

Morty was stirred from her slumber when she heard her door open.

Someone stumbled in, she shot up. "W-Who's there!"

"M-M-Morty, oh Morty." Rick whispered and flicked on the light switch.

The bright lIghts blinded Morty, but through her squinted eyes she saw a severely drunken Rick with a bottle in hand. Her severely drunken Rick.

"I-I-I-EUGH-'m back." The man tripped over his own feet and fell on the floor, spilling liquid on her bedroom carpet.

"R-Rick?" Morty swung her legs to the side of her bed and hopped up clumsily as an effect of the medication.

"It's me, M-Morty, I-I-I-" Rick stood up and tottered his way over to his granddaughter, drooling."I missed you s-URP-ooooo much." He grabbed her not so gently by the shoulders.

The young girl quickly went through her declamation in her head and used all the emotions she had built up over the last week to deliver it. She stepped back from his grasp and squared up her shoulders.

"I'm really disappointed in you Rick. Y-You just left. Leaving me trapped in the house w-w-while knowing the possibility of me being stolen." She took a deep breath and examined Ricks expression, inebriated confusion.

"I-I know Mor-" Morty held a hand up and interrupted him.

"No, i-it's my turn to talk." She raised her voice slightly. "I-I-IIII lost so much sleep because of you and it's your fault!" She jabbed an accusing finger towards the old man. Rick almost innocently raised his unibrow.

"You only think about yourself! That's why you left! Just because you were pissed off." The girl clenched her fists.

"Shhhh. I can explain now Morty, please, just let me talk." Rick took a swig from the bottle and swayed.

"No! You h-have no excuses. You're g-gonna get kicked out Rick! You hurt us too much." Morticia grabbed at the collar around her neck. "This stupid collar being one of the many examples!"

Rick began pressing at his temples, he closed his eyes. "Okay!" He whispered angrily. "At least let me take off the 'example' before you yell at me more."

Mortys' nostrils flared, but she nodded. He set down the bottle.

Rick slipped his hand to the back of her neck. The collar, sensing his fingerprints, unlatched and clattered to the ground.

Morty stared him straight in the eye. Most of her rage was extinguished and what was left was relief to see her Grandpa, but she didn't plan on letting that show.

His hand slipped from her neck to her lower back, the other hand came to rest on the side of the girls still mad face.

Morty knitted her eyebrows, her stomach fluttering. She tried to step back and shake the hands off her but they stayed in place.

"G-Get off Ri-" Rick cut her off by bending down slightly and pressing their lips together roughly.

It was like he sucked the air out of her. Her eyes were wide and her lips were pressed in a tight line.

Everything was painfully still for who-knows how many seconds.

They were caught in a limbo, at least Morticia was. That bubble that had been in her chest earlier reappeared and expanded, consuming both her and Rick. Suffocating the roaring flames that had engrossed her mind like a fire blanket, leaving her blank.

She didn't plan on letting the relief show, but as Rick licked her bottom lip, the bubble popped, her eyes closed and her lips parted.

Rick tilted his head further and Morty followed suit in the opposite direction.

His tongue felted all around her mouth, she deepened the kiss back with obvious inexperience but wasn't like Rick noticed or cared.

With the hand on her lower back he hugged her to him tighter. She let out a squeak from the pressure and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Rick moaned into her mouth, walking forward, taking her with him.

When the back of her calves hit her bed, she automatically went with the flow and crawled backwards on to it. The mans hand went from her face to the surface to support himself as he climbed on top of the mattress, straddling the girl.

Both of them went horizontal, and Rick broke the kiss. He pulled his face a few inches away from hers. It was a stupid smile that he wore but Morticia found it enchanting and stared up at him.

"I-I missed you so URP much Morty." He burped out. Kind of gross, but Morty wasn't thrown off.

"M-Me too..." She swallowed, blushing.

Rick lowered his head and kissed underneath her ear and whispered. "I'll m-m-make it up to you M-Morty, we'll go on, go on a great adventure tomorrow. Just me and you. Rick and Morty. Morty and Rick dot com. Running around. For a hundred years, Ricky and Mort, it'll be great theyyyyyy, they'll make a TV show about it... Adventures... Morty and Rick odyssey... Rick and Mort..." He trailed off, slobbering all over her shoulder.

Rick suddenly gave into his stupor and laid all his weight on to the girl.

"Rick?" Morticia asked softly.

No answer.

"Rick?" She wheezed out more urgently.

Suddenly a loud snore was torn from the Sanchez.

'Oh geez' with some struggle she pushed him to the side so she could breathe fully.

She stared up at the ceiling.

'What just happened?'

She turned her head to Rick who was drooling on her covers.

'He... kissed me. We kissed. Like," Morty reddened, 'made out.'

'What did it mean?' She blinked.

She wanted to be mad at him so bad. For everything. But even trying, she couldn't. Her head hurt from the development and she guessed she wasn't going to get any answers until he woke up.

She silently stood up to turn off the light and close the door.

Pulling out the covers from underneath her Grandfather, she laid down on the bed and covered them with the comforter.

Tossing and turning, sleeping proved to be difficult even with the Ambien she took. But eventually she was able to fall asleep as she placed one of Ricks arms on top of her waist and got lost in her thoughts.

* * *

Dudeeeee I wanna smok som wad.


	5. Chapter 5

hellllll yeah I'm posting this at work bc I didn't realize that I had forgotten to post this here. so yeah apparently pyrocynical saw this shit and slazo read it on pyros channel so yeah that was fucking crazy XD

* * *

Shifting in her bed, she felt around for a familiar body. She sleepily reached a hand behind her. But nothing was there. Slowly Morty sat up and rubbed her eyes. She turned to the side to find that Rick was gone. She expected that though.

'Oh god.' She grabbed the sides of her head.

Rick and her had kissed last night. She appreciated the events in a blushing daze. It wasn't a dream or a trick or some weird simulation or anything. He had really done it.

The corners of her mouth turned upwards.

It was so sudden, she didn't expect it, didn't even get a chance to stop his inebriated actions. Not that she wanted it to stop. Quite the opposite. She was disappointed when he gave into his stupor while he was on top of her.

It was maybe two or three minutes but it felt like it lasted longer. It was too good to be true, and as hard as it was for the teen to come to terms with it, it happened.

Her stomach began feeling weird and some of the same thoughts from last night popped up in her head.

'Why did he do that?' What was the gain? Sure Rick was a hell of a lot kinder when he was drunk but _that_? Rick kissed Morty on the forehead twice in the past, the brunette held onto those memories dearly.

It wasn't a kiss of platonism or from the other side of the spectrum, lust. It never got steamy or turned Morty on, because she wasn't prepared for it.

But it was amazing. His dry lips on her. How tightly he held her against himself. It really felt like he told her the truth when he said he missed her.

But the fact of the matter was he was drunk when he did it. Rarely was Rick fond of Morty when he was fully sober. It was like two people shared the same body, taking their turns fronting. As much as drunk Rick dotes on her, it never makes up for how rude sober Rick is.

That's what made her longing for him even more confusing. You can't be in love with just half of a personality. Yes, she loved the kiss, let it be clear that's an understatement, but a minute part of her told her it was dangerous to go any further down this path with him, for he would only hurt her more. Even though in all likelihood the intimacy was due to her Grandpas deliriousness.

The girl looked at her clock, not having gone off yet. It was 6:59 am.

She realized she was free to go to school today now that she was collarless.

'He was super drunk last night, it didn't mean anything.' She attempted to convince herself and got out of the bed.

The alarm went off for a split second before Morty was able to stop it.

Morticia pulled out the drawers of her dresser to put on her usual day clothes.

'But it was so deep.' She pulled on her yellow t-shirt.

She knew seeing him was going to be awkward. How does one go about talking to your grandparent about showing up in your bedroom in the middle of the night and making out with you? Morty groaned, she yanked up her pants and decided that she wouldn't bring it up directly and let the scientist kickoff that conversation.

In the kitchen, the girl was relieved to see that Rick wasn't there. She ate in a rush, wanting to go back upstairs and fix her hair into a braid and maybe put some makeup on. She was going to see Jessica today and needed to look her best, but with her parents and sister there it made it hard to excuse herself so quickly from the table.

According to the Smiths, excluding Morty, they had came down hard on Rick earlier that morning and set him straight. None of them went into much detail but the teen could imagine that it was similar and as one-sided as the interrogation that transpired a week ago before he ditched.

After about twenty minutes she made her way to the stairs. She passed by the garage with smaller step and listened. Catching clinks and clatters, she decided not to engage the man despite her curiosity and need for closure. There were more important things to be done.

She closed the bathroom door and kneeled down to open the cabinet under the sink. The brunette grabbed a colorful bag that read 'Summer' and poured its contents out on the counter. She was stunned. There were so many tubes and container. Morty knew what some of the stuff was, but for the most part, she had no names for it. She picked up a small bottle that was the same tone as her skin. Its label indicated it was foundation.

Hesitantly, she squirted the cream on her finger tip. Gazing at herself in the mirror, she dabbed the makeup on a pimple on the side of her nose. Almost magically the annoyance was invisible. Her eyes widened and she wasted no time squirting out more foundation and rubbing it all over her face.

Her skin was clear, or at least that's what the facade of the makeup portrayed.

'Jessica probably never needs to use foundation' She frowned a bit. 'Not with that skin.' Morty shook her head.

"Okay... w-what's next?" She muttered. A flat circular container caught her attention. Blush. With a brush, she dusted a rosé tint onto her cheeks and nose.

She glanced once more at her reflection. It was discomforting how different the blush made her look. She couldn't decide if she liked it or not yet, but she continued to the final stage; lip gloss.

She thought about trying lipstick but the over saturated colors intimidated her. Lucky for Morticia, Summer had a barely used tube of light pink gloss. After dragging the brush tip across her mouth a few times and rubbing her lips together.

For the last time she looked at her face in the mirror. She wasn't sure if she liked it. She definitely appeared more feminine but it didn't fit her in her mind. She sighed, hoping this would help her get in good with Jessica. She resigned and told herself it was fine as she braided her hair messily and adorned her pink headband.

Leaving the bathroom she went into her room and grabbed her backpack along with all of the ignored schoolwork. It was 7:30 and the bus came at 7:35. Running out the front door, she failed to notice the garage door was open. However she did hear her Grandfather call out for her.

"Mor-EUGH-ty!" The girl turned around. She flushed.

"Oh, h-hi Rick." Morty stayed in place, eyes down, sweaty fingers tangled together.

"I've been waiting for you Morty!" He shouted happily.

"Why?" She tilted her head.

"I'm t-taking you on a gr-great, I'm taking you on a great adventure." He walked towards her.

'He had said that.' She bit the inside of her cheek.

"U-Uh I don't know R-R-Rick, I've uh missed a lot of sc-school..." The girl looked off to the side and rubbed her arm.

"Morty, wh-what have I told you about school, not a pl-pl-place for smart people." He grabbed by her wrist relatively gently for him and pulled her to the ship. Morty broke his grasp. "Rick, n-no. I'm serious, I need to catch the b-bus." She began turning when the elder pressed on.

"Oh come-come on! You're t-telling me you'd r-rather be reading fuckin' A Tale of Two Separate Peaces by I-don't-fucking-kn-URP-ow-or-care-because-their-super-DEAD than do something that's worth wr-writing?"

He made a good point, but today was for _her_. "Not right now Rick..." She stepped away feeling slightly guilty for turning down her grandpa when he was in such a good mood.

"Oh my goooood. C'mon Mortyyy." He groaned,"You even look really nice today, I th-thought you got all dolled up for yours truly." His tone turned sweet, trying to bribe her with compliments.

'Woooow. He's really laying it on thick.' She thought to try and distract herself from the bubble reappearing in her bosom. It threatened to stop her. 'No, Jessica is waiting for me probably. I have my own life.'

"I-It's not for you. It's for Jessica!" Morticia called, not looking back.

"Morty..."

Oh God, he was begging. He sounded sincerely desperate, it was killing her. She faced him. The mans eyes were wide with hope, his hands put together.

He almost had her. Morty knew it, but she didn't want the cloud of what happened last night looming over her while Rick casually tried to make small talk.

"P-Please..." it was almost a whine. "Tisha."

He had her.

She tsk'd and exhaled,"...Okay, where are we going?" Morty guessed Jessica was going to have to take a raincheck. As she shuffled passed the scientist he grabbed the backpack from her shoulder and held it up in the air.

"YEAAAA BOI THERE SHE IS! R-RICK AND MORTY FOR-EUGH-EVER." Rick whooped and threw the bag in the saucer.

"Rick! Be careful with that!" She snapped and ran inside the vehicle after her belongings. Rick followed close behind.

He slammed the door and fell into the drivers seat. Morty clicked her seatbelt on.

The engine turned over and they were in the air in matter of seconds.

Rick fiddled with the radio trying to settle for a station that fit his mood. Morty slightly pouted to herself as she looked nonchalantly out the window. She let her slight temper cool down but it was quickly replaced by an awkward tenseness that Rick was oblivious to.

"Rick, y-y-you never answered me. Where are we g-going?"

"Th-That's the the fun part of this adventure, Morty. You get EUGH to decide."

She turned "... I-I get to decide?" Morty stuttered, a small grin hiding in the tone that Rick picked up on.

"Youuu heard m-me." He slurred . "Lay it on me, where'd'ja wanna go?"

"Uhhh" She grabbed her chin. "Oh gosh there's not many p-places I know." She glanced around the ship searching metaphorically for an answer.

"Well, do y-y-y-URP-you want to relax or something chill like that or-" he snickered a little. "-are you ready to get down and dirty?"

"What?" It was barely a wheeze. Morticia felt the memory of the previous evening squeeze her lungs. Her fingers dug deep into the seat, turning her knuckles white.

"Oh, y-you know what I'm talkin' about Morty."

The blood drained from the teens face and headed straight towards her crotch.

"D-d-do I?"

Rick set his eyes lazily on his granddaughter.

"What's that's s-supposed to mean?"

"Uh." Morticia gulped. "I mean..."

"I can see it in yo-URP-ur face... you doooo."

"N-no!" She flushed.

"How about Hackgroy's b-b-battle realm? You love that place! Is that down-n-dirty enough for you?"

"Oh my god that's what you mean!" Morty couldn't stop herself from exclaiming quietly with relief.

"What the f-f-fuck did you think I me-" Rick cut himself off and cocked his unibrow. "You're gross."

"Am not!" She fiddled with the end of her braid. It seemed he really didn't have any memory from last night or if he did, he wasn't letting anyone know. She tried to change the subject quickly, "Besides, I-I don't like Hackgroy's, _you_ do."

"What?! I thought you h-had a blast last time!"

"You made me go on the opposite team and beheaded my leader in front of me then told me I-I was next."

"Haha! You're damn right I did, the only reason I spared you was because you pissed yourself. It was EUGH hilarious." He slapped his leg.

Morticia just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

A period of silence passed.

"So..." Rick started more soberly. "You got dressed up today for Jessica? Did you two have a date or something stupid like that?" He prodded her with his elbow.

"Jeez Rick don't sound so jealous. No, it's not like that. I-I just was really looking forward to seeing her." She looked down to her hands.

"Because you like EUGH her?"

"Yeah... She's so smart and nice and I really like her freckles, she's so beautiful." The teen said almost dreamily.

"Huh."

Morty looked out of the side of her eye. Rick looked... disheartened? Only slightly. If you didn't know him well you wouldn't have been able to tell.

"Rick? A-are you okay?" Was he going to bring it up? How he really feels? She was literally on the edge of her seat.

"What?" He snapped out of it. "Yeah, haha. I was just remembering... your grandmother." He was lying obviously.

"Didn't t-take you as the romantic type." The brunette joked awkwardly.

"I'm not." The leather of the steering wheel squeaked as he squeezed it. He sighed. "I know where we could go."

"Where?"

"I'd never thought I'd say this."

"Where?" He had piqued her interest.

"The worst place in the multiverse. Sapphorodite."

"Are you serious?!" Morticia's voice cracked loudly. "The center made by women for women who love women? They have the best junk ever!"

"Oh my god are you like totally stoked to go shopping at the mall?" Rick said in a monotone valley girl voice.

"You said you would never go there with me." Morty piped down.

Rick smiled, he was typing in the coordinates into his GPS,"Well I-I-I changed my mind. Maybe we'll get your makeup done better or buy you actual clothes. I figured it could be a short trip and you c-could still see Jessica later today. You have algebra in the afternoon right?"

"Rick, you're taking me to get a makeover!" Her voice slowly crescendoed as the sentence went on.

The scientist took a quick swig from his flask at this and hit the gas. "Don't make me regret this."

"I don't k-k-know Rick, isn't it a little too much?" Morty couldn't stop looking at herself in the car mirror.

"You're too much." Rick had sobered up quite a bit at this point however he found himself in a good mood for a majority of the adventure. "But you look great." He let his eyes rest on her for a few seconds.

She actually didn't look too much different from before the visit. But the look gave off a more confident vibe and was more professionally done. Her cheeks were rosier and her lips were neatly lined in a light pink lip paint, fitted with a dramatic smoky eye polished off with simple eyeliner and mascara.

Morticias' clothes weren't too fancy either. A modest blue skirt that cut off right above her knees. Tucked into it, A yellow top with no sleeves and a high neckline. Finally, her hair was tied into the same lose braid it had been in that morning with a pink hairband topping it off.

Not much different from before. But definitely different from how she usually looked.

His granddaughter noticed the stare.

"Y-You alright Rick?" She broke her gaze from herself.

"Y-yeah." He grunted a bit flustered looking back at the endless vacuum in front of him.

Morty may not have been the brightest tool in the coloring box but she knows when she's caught someone staring. And he had been staring all day, she only noticed it so early because of last night she checked his behavior very closely to see if he'd remembered anything or was actually interested in her.

The topic had been gripping her and she had wanted to bring it up so many times but it never felt right. However, as they neared their own arm of the galaxy their private time together ticked down. It seemed that this was as 'right' as it was going to be.

"Uhh, h-hey Rick..." She piped up. Well here goes nothing. "Do you r-remember last night?"

"Yeah, I remember getting home, from my , uh, break, And taking off your collar. I was pretty sloshed. Hehe." He laughed nonchalantly to himself.

"Yeah..." Morty trailed off not knowing how to bring up the next part. She looked the other way and scratched her heard. "R-Rick..."

"What?" He sounded a bit worried, making him reach for his flask. "W-What is it?"

Morty sighed out. "We... You kissed me l-last night." She couldn't believe she was really saying this. "Like on the lips. F-for a long time."

The old man almost comically choked on his drink.

Morty let herself continue. "It ended up with you passing out on top of me."

He was trying to speak but kept coughing. He put a hand to his face and dragged it down.

"Oh god Morty." Was the first thing he got out. "Oh my *cough* God. Shit."

"Rick are you okay?" The teen went to pat his back but he jerked away.

"Morty. I need you to forget about that." His tone changed. He was serious.

"But Rick-" she started.

"No 'but Rick'. I'm serious. I was stupid drunk. I'm probably going to erase that memory anyway and put it in the archive or b-better yet, just destroy it." He said with almost no stuttering.

"R-Rick! No!" She said quickly.

"It w-was a mistake Morticia, I need you to not see me that way." He floored the ship. "W-w-we're going home."

"Can't we t-talk about this?" She whined.

"Nothing to talk about." He said gruffly.

"Rick stop the ship."

He ignored her.

She growled, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbed the steering wheel. "Rick stop the ship!"

He swerved and hit the brakes, Morty flew out of her seat and hit the dashboard. He unbuckled and hovered over her. "Fine! I-It's stopped! A-A-Are you fucking psycho Morty?!"

She stood up and took a few steps to stabilize herself. "Okay. C-Calm down. We can discuss this."

He grabbed the front of her top and yanked up, stitches popping in the arm opening. "Yeah, I think that possibility ended when you started manhandling the wheel of my ship."

"I-I-I'm s-sorry Rick." She grabbed the offending hand. "But p-please hear me out."

He shoved her back and let go of her shirt. "You know what? Shoot."

She stumbled back slightly. "Y-You liked it. I liked it! Maybe we-"

"No. Don't complete that thought." He closed his eyes and put his hand up. "You're a hormonal teenager and don't k-know what's good for you."

"I know you're good for me."  
She whispered.

"You're just horny Morticia." He sighed. "I know it's confusing. I shouldn't h-h-have done what I did."

Morticia stepped closer. Rick slumped back in his chair. He felt her crawl into his lap. He didn't fight her, but also didn't expect her to be so forward.

She ran a hand through his hair. Her body was shaking with fear of her actions being rejected.

"I already make you stressed enough. The thing you need now the most is a normal teenage experience." He ran a thumb across her cheek.

"Since when have you c-cared about normal?" With that she closed the distance between them and pushed her tongue in his mouth with novice ability.

She felt him harden under her. He kissed back. Putting both of his hands on her hips, he ground himself up against her crotch.

The brunette hummed into his mouth. There was so much passion in Ricks movements, he almost seemed needy.

Suddenly, as if filled with a second wave of lust, he put his hands under her ass and stood up, laying her down on the dashboard.

The kiss intensified. The scientist rutted into her and she pushed back. She swore that she had him.

The younger one pulled away first for breath. A strand of saliva connected them. They both panted and stared at eachothers flushed faces. Both Rick and Mortys' mouths were smeared with lipstick.

Silence.

The teen tried to go in for another kiss but Rick stood up suddenly and sighed. He looked defeated.

"What?" Morty sat up slightly and pulled her legs up to her chest.

He grabbed her hand and pulled towards himself. "We're going home to erase the past 24 hours. Get off"

Morty's mouth dropped in dismay. "I c-can't believe it."

"Well you better." He grunted as he sat down, buckling back up.

"No." She hopped down. "No. You are not erasing my memory."

"Wanna bet?" He eased his foot onto the gas so Morty wouldn't trip.

"Y-You're not some sort of memory keeper. I get to choose what I want to forget. And I want to choose to r-remember how much of a selfish manipulating asshole you are." She sat in her seat and crossed her arms.

"Oh my god you're so dramatic."

"You know what? Yeah, yeah I am. And you're a creep. I bet you do things like th-th-this to me all the time and just fucking erase it when you're done." She sniffled slightly.

"Morty... you know I wouldn't do that." Rick put his ship in hyperspace.

"I don't care." Her voice broke a little bit more.

Before either of them knew it, they were entering Earths atmosphere.

"Take me to school." Rick looked over at the girl, her face red and wet.

"We have to go home-" he started.

"Take me to school." She punctuated the sentence by striking the console.

"Okay! Sh-sheesh."

Within minutes she found herself behind the Highschool in the parking lot.

She unbuckled the seaf belt, picking up her backpack and opened door. "Punk ass bitch." She whispered as she stepped outside.

"You little-" with that Rick already had his foot to the gas. The ship lurched forward, leaving Morticia sprawled out on the ground with scrapes on her knees and a hole in her skirt.

She stood up and found the ship was gone.

Tears ran freely down her face as she strode towards the entrance of the school. Morty wiped under her eyes to clean up the smeared mascara.

She pushed the door open and stopped with surprise.

It was Jessica.

"Morty, are you okay?" She asked.

The girl couldn't stop herself from breaking down into sobs.

* * *

so ya when is someone gonna do fanart of this fanfic? XD jkjk


	6. Chapter 6

Hey shout out to maybees (on ao3) for helping me with this chapter! They are a great writer and person!

Also: My fanfic got shown on Pyrocynicals channel! Crazy rights? Go check it out!

I've been great. Great job, great friends, great weed.

* * *

"So tell me, how'd that flawless eyeliner end up down here?" Jessica asked as she dabbed a makeup remover wipe under Morty's still tearing eyes.

They were in the girls bathroom and a hurricane was forming inside of Morticia's gut. Still livid with her grandpa but in the presence of the red head... well the awkward teen just kinda wanted to throw up... or poop. "I-It's nothing."

"So you wasted your time doing yourself up just to cry it off for no reason?" She cocked a well shaped eyebrow.

"Well-"

"Let me guess, you did that to your knees for the hell of it too?" Morty looked down at her patched up knees. The blood only seeped a little bit through the nurses gauze.

The brunette sighed," I got in a fight with someone... and they pushed me."

"Oh my god! Who was it?" Jessica eyes widened. " Was it Tamera and Tamara?"

" Uh no, it was m-my grandpa." She rested her chin in her hand.

"What? You mean Rick? I thought you guys were close."

"I don't know, k-kinda?" Morty stuttered.

"That's so not okay. You're his granddaughter. He needs to go to one of those homes. He already seemed pretty nutty, for the few times that I've met him, anyways" She put her hand on her waist.

"No, it's not that. He's just mean and stupid." Morty rolled her eyes.

"Uh huh..." Jessica pulled out a small purple bag from which she pulled a tube of mascara.

"Oh, you don't n-need to, it's fine." Morty grabbed the other teens wrist, blushing and palms sweating as she did so.

"Us girls gotta stick together." She gently grabbed the shorter girls hand from her own wrist. "Tell me what happened." She leaned forward and Morticia looked upward like she learned how to on Sapphrodite.

Morticia's ears turned red. "I-I don't know it's complicated, you know a long story." What an understated. 'Ha.' She thought cynically.

"I have time."

"If I t-talk about it I th-think I'll start crying again." She chuffed.

"Well then I won't worry you with questions, to save your pretty face." The redhead screwed the mascara brush into its tube. "Done! Looks as good as new." She appreciated her work.

"You think... I'm pretty?"

"Yeah? Of course, I'm so jealous of your hair." She bent forward and grabbed a brown tangle of hair. "So much volume."

Morticia looked off to the side and bit her lip. "Y-you don't have to lie because you f-f-feel bad for me."

"What?" She tilted her head to the side. "Morty, I don't lie." Jessica got serious. "I actually do think you're really beautiful."

Morty made that stupid duck lip face that she made a lot when she was at a loss for words. The brunette scrunched up her face and tears started forming once more in her eyes. She hicced.

"Morty?!" The older girl grabbed the makeup remover wipes and quickly handed the pack to the crying girl. "What happened? Why are you crying again?"

"I-I-It's nothing..." She took a wipe, smiling, and looked up as she wiped carefully under her eyes. "I just d-didn't expect you, especially you, to say s-s-something like that."

"Oh." Jessica said quietly and flushed. "Why 'especially me'?"

"You know." She looked off to the side. "Because." Morty breathed in deeply and sighed. "Y-y-you just have it all. Smart, friendly, popular, funny. You're amazing at sports and active in school activities. You're obviously going to do great things and you're... p-pretty." Morty trailed off slightly as she ended her small ramble.

Jessica was at a loss for words and it was quiet for a few seconds.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- -that was probably awkward, I'll go now." The Smith wasted no time standing up. Jessica followed her up.

"Wait, you're alright." Jessica frowned slightly, "But you're wrong."

"Huh?"

"I don't have it all." She looked off to the stall to her left, clutching her side subconsciously. "Maybe I'm just good at acting like it though. After doing something enough you get to be a pro."

Morticia's posture slouched. "I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it l-like that."

Jessica still seemed zoned out. "It's okay."

There was a thick silence between them. Morty didn't notice she was holding her breath until her head spun.

's song "Can't Sleep" rang from Jessica's skirt pocket. The girls both jumped.

Quickly, Jessica looked at her phone then spoke up," Oh shit. I-I gotta go... it's Brad, he doesn't like to wait." She turned around abruptly and strode towards the exit.

Morty felt strangely scared for the taller teen. Like she was watching a house burn down. Jessica was in it, clearly in trouble but still trying to kill the flames herself whilst they surround her. However, there was a small window of time Morty could go in and save her, that if she missed, the flames would either act as a cage for her school girl crush or a funeral pyre for the brunette when she throws herself into the house anyways.

She had to make a move. Something was wrong. The window is closing and the smoke is rising.

Before the prep touched the door handle, the Smith caught her hand. "If anyth-thing's wrong, y-you can always talk to me o-o-or s-something like that. I-I know you barely know me, uh..." The ringtone was still playing and the awkwardness of the situation got to the shorter girl, causing her whole face to light up red. She got a read on Jessica's face, it looked painfully familiar. She recognized it from her own bathroom mirror. Eyes slightly puffy, a red tinge to the face, moist eyes from tears that haven't fallen yet, and to complete it, a big fake smile.

"... I'm here if you need to talk." Morticia said in earnest. "Us girls gotta stick together."

Morty realized she was still holding the popular's hand and released.

Jessica gulped. "Morty, you're too sweet, but I'm okay. I promise."

Morticia wasn't happy about that answer but didn't want to hold up her crush any longer.

"O-Ok then. Just, Just promise me that if s-something is wrong, that you'll tell someone."

Jessica continued smiling and nodded slightly. "I will. I promise." She turned away and grabbed the handle.

"Oh and Morty." Jessica looked back. "Not that my opinion matters, but I think you look better with out make up."

The brunette blushed.

She left without saying goodbye, immediately answering the phone which had started ringing again.

The bathroom door closed and the Smith girl was alone.

"Oh my god, she's so hot." Morticia swooned.

She quickly came back to the problem at hand. "There's something wrong. I-I don't know what it is but IIIIII'm gonna find out." She hit her open hand with a fist in emphasis. "A-A-And I'm not gonna need Rick! Yeah! Fuck Rick! He can eat my pimply ass! WoO HOO!" She threw her arms in the air.

Her stomach gurgled and she felt the weight in her lower intestines. She instantly hunched over and grabbed her belly.

"But first," she groaned," I need to take an emotional shit. Too... too many hormones in my adolescent body." She hobbled over to the stall and took a sobbing shit because of everyone's bad vibes man.

* * *

I know this chapter is fucking dumb but idc bc I like it. Next chapter is rick focused and not emotional so yeeeee boiiiii


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you again to maybees for helping with my chapter! We make word magic together!

Things are normal, substance abuse, good friends, bad habits, and crazy patients

* * *

"We aren't doing this." Rick growled to himself as he steered the ship into the air, away from Harry Herpson Highschool. He took a quick glance back to find his crying granddaughter. Features softening, Rick leaned his head back against the head rest. The man looked forward, focusing his attention on his plan. "Gotta rip the band aid off."

—

Rick pulled into the garage, opening the door as he parked.

He headed straight inside the house. As he turned the corner to go in his room. Jerry stopped him.

"Oh my god I do not have the time nor patience for this. It would b-be better for the both of us if you just got out of my way." Rick barked at Jerry, far from being in the mood to deal with this symbol of mediocrity.

"Well I just got a call from the school saying Morty missed her first few periods." Jerry leaned against the wall and looked at his nails as if to look careless. "Have any explanations for that?"

"Jerry do you remember last time you d-decided to cross me and my daughter wasn't here?" Rick acted equally as nonchalant as Jerry's facade.

Jerry looked up and his laid-back look evaporated. "Uhhhh, no-"

"Of course, you don't Jerry do you know why?" Ricks eyes stabbed through the middle-aged worm man.

"Um-" He put a finger to his chin.

"Because I made you forget bitch! I can do anything I want! If I really felt like it, I could kill you and easily make a more likable clone before Beth gets home and no one would know or care."

"Y-You what?" Jerry exclaimed.

"I can clone you, bitch. Do you speak E-English?" Rick crossed his arms.

"No not that, the other part! The part about making me forget." Jerry shouted in a higher pitch than usual like he does when he's angry.

"It's not like it URP matters if I t-told you I would just make you forget again." Rick walked forward and purposely clashed shoulders with the man child, walking into his dark room.

He went straight to his holo-top, pulling up this previously searched list of fertile Mortys.

He quickly found the one he was looking for. Morty F566. Her Rita looked like she wouldn't be a problem, but the small brunette had that certain look . He knew she would be trouble, but not anything he couldn't handle.

They were in dimension K18ε6. He grabbed his blaster off his dresser and tucked it into a holster behind his back. It was only for emergencies.

He walked out his room and into the garage. He had to prepare to meet these people.

Jerry persisted in being the most hated person in Ricks mind by following him out into his workspace.

"Hey you don't see me following you into the bathroom when you got you business to do." Rick snarked.

"It's my house I'll follow you wherever I want." Jerry said with a false confidence.  
"W-Whatever, I just have to get ready to meet these people." He sat down at his table pulling out several jars from under his work space. Some seemed to contain alien gems while others contained what looked like giant purple caviar.

"What people? Where are you even going?" Jerry asked.

"I'm going to save your daughters ass." He opened the jar with the glowing white quartz-like gems, and crushed them in his hands, letting the dust fall into the jars lid. He crossed the room and Jerry watched as the older man opened the closet and grabbed a light green fluid with a high viscosity. He poured about a tablespoon into the jar cap. A hissing sound seeped from the mixture and it bubbles for a few seconds before settling.  
Rick pulled the solution up into a syringe. He opened the other jar and grabbed one of the jellylike spheres. He injected the solution into the purple ball, it hardened and crumbled into tiny red shards.

"What, are you making some kind of weapon?" Jerry asked honestly curious.

Rick took the handful of stones and pulled out a pipe in the shape of a weird blue dog looking creature. He packed the bowl. "Don't need a weapon. I need a buzz."

The old man put the pipe to his lips. He pushed a button on the side and he inhaled as the strange rocks he created disintegrated.

"Of course." Jerry rolled his eyes.

Rick held his breath for a few seconds before exhaling, pink smoke filling the garage. He coughed a few times "Okay. Let's do this shit." he grunted, setting his pipe down.

He whipped out his portal gun and set it to K18ε6. "I gotta remember to play nice." He aimed the gun to the floor and shot. "Bye Fucko." Rick waved to Jerry and hopped through the portal.

He fell into the garage, and landed on something metal.

"Ow! Motherfucker!" He hissed through his teeth. He could tell he bruised his ass pretty bad.

His surroundings were dark. He took a step forward and glass crunches. "What the hell." He quickly felt around until he bumped into a table. From there he felt around the edges of the room and found the light switch next to the door. Flicking it on, his eyes widened.

The garage was a mess. Broken glass, unidentifiable spilt liquids, and half-finished inventions haphazardly thrown on the ground.

"What the hell happened here." It was unusual for a Rick to be this messy. Sure, an unorderly space is normal but this place was utterly trashed. And even worse, this Rick, or rather Rita, was known to be fairly clean by Rick standards. Something was wrong.

Rick strode towards the door and opened it, calling out. "Ladies?" No answer. The house was not nearly as destroyed but an awful stench lingered in the air. The coffee table in the living room was covered with expired food and gnats, probably the source of the smell.

"Oh god. Ladies?!"

He ran to Rita's room which was by the garage. Beer cans and Red Bulls were scattered across the floor. This was the most unusual thing yet, because as far as his good encounters with the woman, she doesn't drink.

Rick was silently trying to make sense of the situation in his head however he picked up on a faint crying sound. The man followed the noise up the stairs and to The Mortys room.

He had no idea how he was going to handle this, but hey how hard could it be?

"I'm not high enough for this." Rick took a swig from his flask quickly and opened the door to find his female doppelganger on her knees with her face in her hands next to an empty bed. The room was clean, and the bed was made.

Rick cleared his throat.

Rita, startled, yelled and stood up. She pressed a button on her watch and held her hand out in a finger gun. Seeing the red laser dot on his forehead, Rick got the idea.

"S-S-Stay away!" The woman, clearly hungover and unstable. "Move a-and I'll blow your brains out!"

Play nice Rick.' He reminded himself.

"Wait! I'm D-348!" He put his hands above his head. He tried to keep his tone light and friendly. "Remember? We went clubbing at Quadacks with some other Ricks from the RMV?" He said. Though he left out the part where they convinced her to pop a bunch of weird square pills which ended up with her getting kicked out of the club when she got too out of hand, but not before she got the shit kicked out of her when she started trying to make out with someone else's beau.

Oh yeah, and no one took her to a hospital.

She held her stance. Her features shifted as she scanned her memory.

Rick got a better look at her now that she was standing in front of him. A few inches shorter than him. She looked just as bad as the house: her hair tangled, face gaunt greasy uneven bangs, shirt untucked and stained, dark circles under her empty eyes, lipstick smearing her lips and buck teeth, bruises and cuts in her hands and of course, a little bit of saliva on her chin.

"Damn, Rita what hap-" Rick started as he moved his hands down slightly.

"S-Shut up!" Rita shouted. "I remember you... Last time I saw you, you and the other Ricks convinced me to get a tattoo of a smiley poop on my ass."

Rick snorted, unable to take her serious because of the poicha he smoked minutes before. "Haha we t-told you it was an 'emoji' which means 'bravery'. How d-does your world only have emoticons and not emojis? Your Morty even laughed when sh-she saw." Rita's face darkened at the mention of her Morty.

Rick spoke soberly, "Where is she?"

The old woman bit her lip and looked down, shaking her head. She collapsed on the ground. A sob tore from her mouth, "She's gone." Her hands shot up to her face.

"What? What do you mean?" His stomach dropped.

'Oh no, shit.' Ricks hands returned to his sides.

"She, she's been g-gone for HIC six days." She hiccupped and wiped away some snot with her lab coat sleeve. "She w-went for one of her alone-walks like usual and never came home." She breathed in deeply and her voice broke even further as she delivered her confession. "I-I think I did something that made HIC her want to leave." Rita's sobs became more labored and she was almost hyperventilating.

She was falling apart and fast. Rick had to take care of this quick, so he could actually get some answers.

"I-I'm sure that's not it." Rick said with faux care.

"I-I-It had to be. We fought right before she left for her walk. Sh-She's a bit troubled, a-and she was threatening the neighbors for peaking over our fences. And she told me th-that if you're weak you get stepped on... a-and that's w-why I'm basically a d-d-doormat." Her voice trembled with melancholy and embarrassment. "Then she just l-left." Her hands fell onto to her lap.

"What if I t-told you that she probably didn't run away." Within a few steps, he was hovering over her, looking down. She made eye contact. "What if I told you it was worse, and she could be in serious danger."

Rita's was dumbstruck, even more so than she usually looked. "Wha- What are y-you talking about?"

"Your Morty has most likely been kidnapped by a weird possibly incestuous Morty trafficking ring." Rick speculated, though he was more than likely right. He was a bit surprised Rita wasn't aware of them, but now was not the time to chastise her.

"Why are y-you telling me this! Are you pulling my leg? I-I'm being serious, I don't know when I'm gonna see her again... If I'm going to see her again." She trailed off into a fresh batch of tears.

Rick squatted down and grabbed Rita's shoulders firmly. "Hey! My Morty is in danger too. If you help me I can help you."

Rita's sniffled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"You promise?" She held out her hand.

Rick rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, shaking it. "Yeah, whatever, we have a deal." He was being half honest at least. If he could actually find any leads on her. Actually, wrong wording. If he cared enough.

Rick stood up, offering a hand to the other scientist. "To your feet bro" she hesitantly accepted the hand, he pulled her up.

Rita rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "O-Okay, What first?"

Since she seemed more at ease, he asked,"Okay, first I'm gonna need your Mortys hormone pills."

"What pills?" Rita tilted her head.

"You know the ones that 'normalize' Mortys."

She still said nothing

"The f-freaking period pills." Rick pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh! Oh no, it's a twice a year injection now." She answered. "She got hers as soon as she started two w-weeks ago."

Ricks hazy high was slashed in half by these words and suddenly he was stone cold sober. "What."

Eyyy I've been drawing fanart 


	8. Chapter 8

(A/N: Hey... It's been a while hasn't it? I don't really know what to say. I'm coming out of 50+ days of rehab/treatment. That was one of the hardest things I had ever done and I learned a lot about myself. It was really good, 10/10 would never do again. Amy Winehouse did not cover how hard recovery really is. My addiction wasn't so much to drugs, as much as I love weed, it was for cutting and dissociative episodes. I wrote a lot while I was there. So I've typed it up.

Also, random fact, I live in a sober living home now. And I'm in a partial hospitalization program

I'm honestly kind of insecure about this chapter because I wrote some Jessica/Morty and it focuses on them two mostly. And I know that's not what y'all are here for. But don't worry it's still a c137cest story. Also don't mind Shae, that's a self insert and she dies next chapter I just love writing myself into things.

Um, what else...

I'm on a bunch of new meds and during treatment we found out I have these Mini seizures and dissociate (that's what happened when I slit my leg open, I can't remember it so well and I had been sober for several weeks.

I'm really doing better guys. In therapy I told my parents about some abuse that happened to me by the hands of one of their close friends (a church deacon.) I'm sure you can imagine what kind of abuse it was.

The whispers from middle school are back, but that makes it sound like I'm crazy, it doesn't tell me anything, it's just like two people whispering right out of my range of hearing. But I digress.

Sometimes good things happen.

I got my legal charges dropped also because of unnecessarily rough handling (fuck them oink oink). But it only happened because of my lawyer whom I appreciate and adore.

I feel a lot better than I was before, it's weird to be sober yet content. Please, if you need help, get help. It's uncomfortable and hard but please, please reach out. Only you can save you.

Thank you everyone who reads this, writing this got me through a lot of shit, and I'm really sorry if it isn't my best work. I'm truly honored that something that helps me cope is acceptable to some people to spend their precious time reading.

Also! Thank you soooo much to my editor maybees, this chapter was actual trash before they had anything to do with it

If you need help, please reach out, even I will listen if you message me, but remember only you can help you.)

* * *

Morticia had gotten farther in her little American dream in the past 24 hours than in the past 3 years. Specifically, in getting closer to Jessica. Not only had they texted, but Jessica was iasking her/i to hang out.

She pushed past the double doors leading outside of the school, the bright sunlight warming her blushing face.

'When will she want to hang? Where will she want to hang? I hope we get to hang out at her house, I bet her room will be pretty and smell good… What if she wants to come to my house?' She stopped at the drop-off/pick-up zone, waiting for her dad. 'God that would be awful, my room is a mess, my dad, and there's Rick.' She shuddered with renewed anger. 'Fuck, I almost forgot about that asshole.' She huffed. 'Who knows what he would say once-'

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to earth. She turned around hesitantly, almost expecting the devil himself. But instead it was the redheaded angel, Jessica.

"Hey Morty." Jessica greeted, books hugged tightly to her chest.

'Oh my God, oh my God, don't say anything stupid.'

"H-H-Hi Morty." She cringed and corrected and corrected herself. "Jessica, I meant Jessica… Haha." The brunette rubbed the back of her head. "H-How are you?"

"You're funny, and I'm fine." She answered quickly, as if not to truthfully answer but to rather brush the pleasantry off. She didn't seem completely honest, nobody is when they say fine, it's a word to hide behind. If anything, she gave off an aura of nervousness.

"I would be great, however, if you'd be free to hang out today after I help my half-brothers' wife's' first cousin once removed settled in?"

'Oh my God.' The flush on her cheeks turned hot bright red, painting her emotions on her face. 'I thought she was just saying that, not really meaning it, Oh my God. Oh my God'

"Oh my God." She spoke quietly, but the taller girl barely picked up on it.

"Huh? Are you alright? Do you not want to hang out tonight?" She tilted her head.

"No! No! No, um, I-I can hang out tonight!" She sputtered out a little too loudly. "Uh, w-when will you be done helping you're… uh…" She trailed off trying to remember the relation of the relative to Jessica. "Cousin?"

"My half-brothers' wife's' first cousin removed, I know it's a mouthful. She's coming from Texas she just needs a place to stay for a month or two." Jessica tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'll probably be done around 5ish. Would you like to come over to my house afterwards?"

Morticia cut her off, "Of course!" she grasped her own hands in front of her chest, 'Oh my God Morty, reel it in.' Her hands fell to her side, looking to the side with faux nonchalant look, "I mean, psh, yeah I guess that would be cool."

"Jessica!" A feminine voice catapulted from a vehicle a few cars away, followed by a few friendly honks. It appeared to have startled the girl, but she quickly replied.

"Coming mom!" She shouted back. "I guess I should give you my address." She pulled out her phone from her skirt pocket and began typing away.

Feeling a bit awkward, not knowing what to say, her eyes roamed slowly up and down the prep and noticed something.

Her outfit.

Morty fawned over the redhead every day for the past few years, she recognized every combination of clothes that she wore. She took note everyday but she must've missed it since she was too busy sobbing.

Under her skirt, this one pink, she wore a pair of grey tights. Tucked into her skirt was a loose, black long sleeve shirt with a pink alien face printed on the front. A classic Fall look she started wearing about a year ago or so.

But now that she thought about it more it was a bit strange.

Technically, it fit the season. However, it was really hot. Lower 90s, 60% humidity.

With these kind of numbers the most clothing that the teen would be wearing is a three-quarters sleeve shirt and lower thigh length shorts, and that's stretching it.

She must be sweltering.

Even Morticia was sweating in her sleeveless shirt and skirt, mostly from the nerves, but still. It wasn't like the girl was one to be afraid of showing skin.

Speaking of strange; The nails of the fingers wrapped around her phone, were bit down on and unshaped. The brunette hadn't seen her unpolished nails since the 7th grade. They looked bitten down to the finger. The cuticle red and swollen in some places, signs of infection. It looked painful.

People didn't give the underclassman enough credit. Math and Science weren't her thing, but she had a hell of a memory.

"Morty?" Morticia heard, but distantly, still deep in thought, not something she was in very often.

"Yeah."

"… Can you check your phone?" She bent down to get to eye level with the girl.

"Yeah…" She didn't move though. There was another silence.

"Morty!" she shouted just loud enough to snap Morticia out of her head.

"W-W-What?" The girl jumped back, wide-eyed, "Sorry, I was zoned out. What w-were you saying again?" Morty focused her gaze directly in front of her face, not realizing how close Jessica was, and caught a good glimpse of the crystal blue eyes, before blushing and averting her eyes.

Jessica straightened her back and cracked a small grin, "I sent my address to you. Can you make sure it went through?"

"Oh, yeah sure." Morticia slung her back pack off her shoulder onto the ground. She lowered herself and unzipped the front pocket, reaching in and grabbing her phone. "Yeah, it sent… Wow!" She lifted herself and her bag up. "You actually live pretty close to me." Her excitement grew.

bHONK/b

Morti and Jessica jumped but the latter flinched and flung her arms up to defend herself from an unseen attack. She vocalized. "Ah!"

"Jessica! Get yer' ass in here!" Another feminine voice came out of the car, lower and more playful.

"I-I'm coming! Jeez!" She yelled, irritated. The scare seemed to fluster her. "I'm really looking forward to see you." She turned around before looking over her shoulder and giving a quick wave.

Morticia was ecstatic, that was an understatement, but as she lifted her hand to wave back, she was filled with that same feeling before, the burning house.

"Mooooooortyyy!" The girl snapped her head towards the noise. She rolled her eyes as she saw the familiar car pull up beside her.

"Hey dad." He leaned over the passenger seat and opened the side door. She sighed and ducked into the car, shutting the door.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" He pushed for information in that high-pitched annoying tone.

"Nothing much." She buckled herself in.

"Aw, nothing, are you sure? You're blushing." Morticia had been through a lot in the last week, and today was the bittersweet cherry on top. Her resistance to her dad's prying was almost nonexistent from everything that had happened. Also, she was kind of giddy to tell whoever would listen about her plans with Jessica. This was the first really good thing that had happened to the teen in a hot minute and dammit, she was going to embrace these feelings.

"Well, actually… I'm supposed to be h-hanging out with J-Jessica around 5."

"You're kidding me! Are you serious? Is that why your face is all made up today?"

"Uh…" She couldn't tell him about the trip to Sapphrodite, she had missed enough school already. "Yeah, Summer helped me."

"Oh yeah, did Rick like it?" Jerry chuffed, "I know you went for an adventure this morning."

"Y-Yeah." She sighed at the mention of the name. She propped her elbow on the door side.

"Morticia! You just missed a week." Jerry nagged.

"Dad, it's not like I have a choice." She reminded him, rolling her eyes. She doesn't need this right now.

"Yes, you do. You don't have to say yes to him. You need to work on setting boundaries between-"

"Dad! Save it marriage counseling! Y-Y-You know he doesn't listen to me. If you asked the student body of my grade to describe when he comes to get me. They'd say it looks like I'm b-being kidnapped. I want to go to school as well. Can't you and mom talk about this?" She unloaded on him.

There was a silence and a quiet "Okay."

Long periods of silences were a precious rarity with Jerry Smith.

"So... Jessica. Summer did your makeup...?"

"Yeah."

"Well you look great! Are you going to her house or-"

"Her house, don't worry, it's within walking distance." She quickly answered, not wanting to give her father any hope of the hang out spot being their house.

"Oh okay… Well I'm glad you're able to get out of the house after the whole 'No-Rick' week."

'Ugh.' He wouldn't stop with the Rick talk.

"Yeah I guess." Morty looked out the window, trying to signal to her dad that she didn't want to talk about him at all. Either he didn't pick on it or just didn't care.

"You know he was acting more 'Ricky' than usual today."

She shifted uncomfortably, she knew why that was.

"Oh yeah?" She deadpanned.

"Yep, came home around noon in a huff, and uh, I stood up to him and-"

Morticia glanced at her father with a very skeptical look.

"Uh, okay maybe that's not what happened. Buuut, I tried!"

The teen raised an eyebrow.

"… And then he told me he would kill me and replace me with a clone." He confessed.

"Sounds about right." Guilt was building as she ruminated on the scene that occurred in her room last night, as well as the confrontation that was mere hours ago. Maybe it was because she had actually believed that these fucked up feelings would actually be returned in a non-fucked up way. Maybe Rick did have some kind of interest in her, obviously, or else none of the before mentioned would've happened. Even if he wasn't completely disgusted with her at times, she knew it wouldn't be a good idea to actively pursue him. Rick could play nice, sometimes, but at his core Morticia sincerely believed he didn't care for anyone besides himself. Not Summer, not Mom, and definitely not herself.

She knew he was bad for her. That didn't make him any less appealing to her. He was the msg in her theater popcorn butter. She wanted him despite the nausea and break outs he caused her.

"You know, he came in, got high and portalled somewhere."

She tensed up but hid behind a façade of indifference. "S-Sounds pretty normal to m-me." The nails of her fingers dig into her palm.

"Maybe, he just you know, threatened me, did drugs, saying he needed a buzz before seeing some people." His voice was tinged with annoyance. "But yeah, 'Normal'." He rolled his eyes. "Also... He said he was saving your ass before he left. What was he talking about?"

"I-I have no idea." She wanted to bang her head on the dashboard. 'Stop talking.' Her knuckles were turning white.

"Well, Are you sure because-"

"Dad. I'm going to say this one more time." She looked at him with an intensity that made the man uncomfortable. "I. Don't. Know."

Finally, he was mute.

'What the fuck is he doing?' She thought, sinking into her chair. 'Is he going to leave again? Is he stealing the pills? Is he not coming back? He was super pissed… Am I in danger?'

The car came to a halt.

Without a word she got out in a brisk walk into the house.

She bee lined for Ricks door, praying for him to be there. "Rick?" She had a shaky calmness to her voice.

No answer.

She jiggled the door knob but to no avail. She stepped back from the door. Jerry entered the house.

"Thanks dad." He mimicked in a falsetto tone.

"Th-Thanks…" She wasn't paying too much attention to him and she opened the garage door.

He didn't take the ship, his usual transport when he wanted to blow off steam.

She walked around, looking at the work benches.

'So he wanted to go somewhere specific in a different dimension.' Several ingredients were laid out on the surface, tubes were still dirty, having substance still bubbling in them. She had seen this combination of materials and tools when he synthesized a benzo-like drug, confirming her dad's story.

She opened a large drawer at the bottom of the bench.

It looked empty, but she knew better than to leave it to looks. She pushed her hand pasted the illusion, it rippled as she did so. Morty touched the actual bottom of the drawer.

"Fuck." She whispered, kicking the drawer shut, he took the blaster. 'So it had to be serious! It had to be a mission.'

The teen got a few B's but mostly C's, she didn't know much but she knew Rick, at least his mannerisms. Another example of the teen not getting credit where credit is due.

"Dammit!" She yelled slamming her fist down on the workbench. 'Why is he doing this shit?' She raised her pounding fist and unfurled her fingers, gazing at her palm. 'Just to spite me?' The girl pushed at her temples. 'That poor Morty…' It was weird, her and Rick had killed (well mostly Rick), screwed whole dimensions, stolen and caused massive destruction. While she felt bad about these things, she was eventually able to get over the guilt in about a week, 2 weeks at most. It was easy because the crimes didn't directly affect her life and there was little to connect her and Rick to them. Out of sight, out of mind. However, the thought of endangering an innocent Morty that's on the citadels grid, leaving them vulnerable to this trafficking ring, was unbearable. It felt oddly masochistic. The Rick as well, she appeared sincerely happy in that photo Morty saw. Maybe that Rick and Morty got along and genuinely enjoyed each other's company. They didn't deserve to suffer, maybe it was the girls confused sense of survival.

'You know what? I'm not going to take the pills even if he gets them.' She straightened up and did a quick glance around the garage to see if anything else was out of place before she went in the house with a huff.

The teen needed to lay down, she was beat, and she had a date, kind of.

She sighed as her bedroom door closed behind her and threw her bag to the floor. Kicking off her shoes, she gave herself a quick look over in the mirror. Morty couldn't believe how different she looked with her face painted. The circles underneath her eyes were nonexistent, cheek bones defined, and eyes popping. The sight lightened her mood considerably. The sides of her stained lips rose.

'I wonder what Jessica looks like without makeup? Probably just as pretty." She couldn't wait until 5. Running her hands down the front of her outfit, flattening out the wrinkles, Morty's finger caught in the hole from falling earlier.

"Damn him." She slipped the skirt off and pulled out a drawer from her vanity.

'He can't take this from me.' She picked up a pair of dark blue jeggings. 'I'm going to go to Jessica's-" One leg, "-and have a great freaking time.' The other leg. She flung herself on her unmade bed.

The time was 4:10 pm. The teen set the alarm on her phone to 4:50.

'I wonder what we're going to do.' Her eyes shut.

'I wonder what'll happen.'

She drifted.

The alarm couldn't have gone off soon enough. As soon as it did, she had her finger on the screen to silence it. The girl dashed out of her bed, shoving her feet into her shoes, her face was splitting with how hard she smiled. She rushed down the stairs, and nearly stumbling while she clicked the address on her phone.

A six-minute walk. At the bottom of the stairs, the youngest Smith spotted her sister watching TV, next to her dad. She ran over to her, setting her hands on the arm of the couch and leaning over Summer. She looked up and her eyes widened. "Oh my God, look at you!" The girl gawked. "Who did your make up?"

Morticia gave a quick glance over to Jerry and back at Summer, glaring intensely but not threateningly. "You did, silly!" She poked the ginger playfully.

Picking up on the signal, she nodded her head. "Oh yeaaaaah, I forgot!" Both the girls looked at their dad, he wasn't paying attention, just looking at his tablet and poking squares that appeared on the screen.

Summer mouthed, "Where did you go?"

"Sapphrodite" She mouthed back silently.

The brunette tipped her head towards the kitchen. Summer stood up and followed her out of the living room. Summer mumbled under her breath something about how Grandpa Rick takes her to the good places. When they were out of range of Jerry's hearing,

Morticia let out a quiet squeal and whipped around to face her sister.

"Oh my God Summer!"

"What?" She leaned forward in anticipation.

"I'm about to go to Jessica's house!"

"You mean the redhead?"

She nodded her head vigorously.

"Shut. Up. Are you for real?"

"Yes!"

"How did you pull that off?" Summer appeared just as surprised as Morticia had been.

Morticia actually hadn't thought about that yet. "Uh..." What was different today? Really. What, besides the makeup, was different about today?

"Huh, m-maybe it was the makeup?" Summer picked up on the unsureness in her sister's voice.

"Your Make-up is freaking amazing! But I feel like that's still not it." The elder of the two put her index finger and thumb to her chin. The sisters spent a moment pondering the situation.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters is that it's happening. When are you supposed to be there?"

"5ish"

Summers eyes flicked over to the oven clock. "Uh, then you better be heading over there then. Do you need a ride?"

"N-No, no, I'm good, it's really close." Morty's receding confidence was apparent in her voice.

"Hey!" Summer grabbed the younger one's shoulders firmly, she cried out in surprise. "You can do this, you and Grandpa Rick have been through so much shit and you've came out on the other side more or less unscathed"

"Unscathed you me-" The sister cut her off by shushing her and putting a finger in front of her face. "You know what I mean."

"Ehhh... me and Rick have been through..." She cringed. "... been through a lot... I d-don't know." She looked to the side sheepishly

"Don't think about your doubts! Just enjoy it, be yourself."

Morticia was filled with a fresh wave of excitement. "You know what? You're right!" She puffed out her chest, "I've waited so long for this, and if Jessica wasn't even a little bit interested in me then she w-wouldn't have invited me over!"

"That's right! Just be yourself... well..." Summer trailed off.

"Well what?"

"Just... Just be cool, you know. You can get a little..." Summer bit her bottom lip.

"What? A little what?" The girl tended up.

The older sister backed away and shrugged her shoulders. "Dorky I guess."

Morty released the breath she was holding. "Please Summer, I know how to be cool." She gave her sister a wink and headed to the door.

"Oh yeah? What can you do?" She asked cheering her on.

"I can do th-this!" She opened the front door and looked over her shoulder. "Don't worry Summer, It'll be lit, fam, me mang."

Morty didn't see it but Summer struggled to hide her cringe. The door shut and Morty's lone adventure began.

With every step she took closer to the house wore on her carefully put together poise, yet she strode on until she was at the door step of what seemed to be to a dream, as surely this couldn't be real.

'But it is.' She thought.

She raised her hand and placed her finger on the doorbell and froze. Morticia gulped down the heart that lunged in her throat. This was it. This is a step closer to something she thought she would never get; Jessica's affection.

Her arms trembled and sweat gleaned lightly off her forehead. She rang the doorbell. Seconds pass.

"Coming!" It was Jessica's voice. There was a rapid padding sound followed by the door swinging open.

All of Morticia's anxiety and doubts melted away when she set eyes on her crush.

The warm smell of cinnamon and cloves from inside lingered out and around the two of them.

"H-Hi, Jessica."

"Hey Morti!" She turned around and walked into the foyer.

The brunette pinched her arm as she stepped over the threshold and closed the heavy walnut door behind her.

"Well, this is where I live." She held the palms of her hands open upwards and motioned around the room.

The girl let her eyes glean quickly over the area. "You-You have a-a-a lovely home." Her eyes fell back on Jessica. She smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgement. She made her way towards the stairs.

"If you could, leave your shoes by the door." She started up the stairs. Morty pushed her shoes off by the heels with her toes. She looked up the stairs and saw the other girl with her elbows on the banister, her head leaning on her hands. Morty swallowed and stared back up at her. "Are you coming? Or do we just want to stand here looking at each other?" Jessica said playfully. She blushed but was reinvigorated by her crush's blitheness. Running up the stairs Morty slid to a stop beside the prep.

Jessica passed a closed door with light bleeding out from under it. Muffled music accompanied a bumping sound radiated from the room. "That's the guest room. Shae, my half-brother's wife's cousin once removed, is staying there for a while. She can be a bit… eccentric at times." The girl glanced towards it as she walked away.

That description didn't sit well with the teen. She already had enough 'eccentric' people in her life, specifically one person. She rolled her eyes but didn't allow her disproval of the unseen persona bleed through in her voice.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, but she means well and is nice enough. She's an acquired taste." She chuckled, turning her head towards Morty, "She shouldn't bother us though."

A few feet down on the opposite side of the hall was a room with a door cracked open. Jessica pushed it open and flicked on the light.

"This is my room, sorry, it's kinda messy."

Morticia's mouth fell open slightly. It smelled alright despite the state of the room, but 'pretty' wasn't the word she would go with. The walls were painted a pastel pink and the furniture, like the computer desk, nightstand, dresser and headboard were a pale tan which would've matched a typical picture of a 'girly' furnished room in a home décor magazine. However, the room looked almost as messy as Morticia's room, after her week of house arrest. Covering the floor was papers and clothes. There was a bin in the corner overflowing, fast food wrappers laying beside on the ground. The closet door was ajar and a pile of clothes probably knee-height hid the few pairs of shoes that weren't thrown to the floor. Under the bed crumpled up candy wrappers speckled the area.

The room gave off a feel that a new person had moved into it and chunked their trash among the previous occupant's belongings.

"I-It's usually not this bad." She self-consciously looked around.

"You should see my room. I make pathways from my bed to my desk and to the door with all the crap that's on th-the floor."

That made the redhead crack a smile. "Thanks, haha, I just have been so, uh busy lately... I haven't had the chance to tidy up."

"So... You like Banana Laffy Taffy?" Morticia motioned towards wrappers on the ground.

"Yeah," She went to pick up a few papers and put them on top of the already full trash. "I've been stress eating a bit lately. The yellow taffy is my favorite."

Morty walked alongside the desk. On it was framed pictures of her and her friends and family. She noticed assignments all laid out haphazardly in front of her laptop. Upon closer inspection, they were marked up in red pen.

'68'

'52'

'72'

'Please see after class' It was Mr. Goldenfold's handwriting. That's weird. The girl usually was helping other students with their homework. Besides the papers the shorter girl noticed an open spiral notebook. She was only able to get a glimpse before Jessica began to turn around. Not wanting to be caught snooping, the Smith turned to face knick-knack covered shelf nearby.

"It's just been too hard to resist eating my feelings! Haha..." Morticia met the girls eyes, she had said it like a joke but wasn't too persuasive and felt the pain in her face. So, there was something wrong, Morty wasn't just imagining it.

On the journal, in black marker, was written messily, 'bI DONT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK TO DO/b'

This was crazy. She didn't ever expect to get anywhere with the prep, much less learning that she was troubled.

This Jessica wasn't the fearless socialite who had a strong rapport with anyone who means anything at the Highschool. She was a 15 year old girl, just like Morticia, who was going through something bigger than herself; not the untouchable, well-balanced goddess people, Morty included, understood her as.

"Ugh, I need to smoke." Jessica broke the short silence and pulled open a drawer of her nightstand. The pack of cigarettes that the girl pulled out made Morty's eyes bulge.

"Y-You smoke?" Her surprised wasn't hidden so well.

"Oh, I mean I won't right now if you're not comfortable with it."

"N-No! It's fine. I-I just didn't expect it. H-Hoooow did you get them?" She said eyeing the carton.

"Before, I would sneak my moms, but Shae bought me a pack today."

Morty was really starting to not like this person Jessica was talking about; she sounded like a bad influence. The prep pulled up the blinds of one of the windows and flicked open the hatch. "Do you want one? Not to peer pressure you or anything." She looked back as she pulled the window up and open. Morticia was actually a hardcore straight edge. All the D.A.R.E. and truth campaigns in coupled with her mother's drinking problem that started around that age really got to her. That and the most frequent substance abuser in her life caused her so much strife that it has become a point in her life to not be like him. She didn't want to deny the offer though. She remembered Summers words, "Dorky, I guess." She tensed up.

"S-Sure." Morty shakily made her way over and watched the taller girl gracefully lifted herself into the roof. Putting her hands on the ceil and pushed herself belly first to the roof, her knees following. Morty stood up alongside of her crush, who was looking out in the distance. Her eyes followed Jessica's gaze.

"Not to sound st-stereotypical b-b-but I can s-see my house from here." Morty glanced over at Jessica to see if she found that funny or dumb. The girl squinted her eyes. "Really? Where?"

Morty pointed at about 10 o'clock. "It's the one with the balcony."

"Wow!" Jessica opened the pack and took two out and a lighter. "You really do live close." She popped the menthols of both cigarettes, she lit up one and handed it to the brunette. She hesitantly took it between her index and middle finger. The filter had a pink stain, a silly thought bubbling up in her mind. 'An indirect kiss.' She inspected the object closely. Jessica put the other one in her mouth and flicked the lighter, burning the tip.

The redhead took a long drag, Morticia watched, mesmerized when she took it out, the butt stained the same shade of pink. She sat down and huffed, letting her legs dangle off the roof. Morticia felt she saw a bit more than she felt she should have in that moment. She heard her sigh, she saw under eye bags peeking out of Jessica's makeup. She saw chapped lips under her lipstick.

"God."

"W-What?" Morti sat down, crossing her legs.

"Just this week. I'm so tired." She sighed, taking another drag.

Morti put her own lips to her cigarette. She took a puff and immediately exhaled with a struggling coughing fit.

"Oh my God, Morty you don't have to if you can't!" She sounded worried but the look on her face portrayed amusement.

Morticia spat off the roof and held the cigarette to the prep. "Yea-cough-ah, f-fuck that."

She held in her laughs and grabbed it, gently putting it out and back into her pack. "Well, at least you can say you know you don't like cigarettes!" She poked her in the ribs, making the young girl twitch.

Suddenly Jessica's eyes widened. "You're ticklish?" She poked the girl again.

Morty snorted, trying and failing to hold her laughter. "EE!" She wrapped her arms around herself, covering her sides. "Y-Yeah..." The brunette looked warily at Jessica's offending hand.

The girl scrunched her nose up. She moved her hand swiftly, softly poking her neck.

Her head snapped to the side, catching the taller girls hand between her jaw and her shoulder. "EE! Haha! Stop!" Morty's skin prickled. "Uncle!"

Jessica and the Smith stayed like this longer than two people who just started fraternizing should've been touching.

Fraternize. It meant to treat like a brother. She didn't like this term. Brothers, men, didn't touch unless need be. Brothers were not so gentle with each other. This was of course societies standards, not Morticia's own. She felt like she was among a sister. An understanding that connected them in a way Rick couldn't if he tried. She knew the struggles of being a teenage girl. She didn't only sympathize, she empathized. Like a sister. Sororitize.

The two had just began to sororitize.

Jessica pulled back her hand, red-faced but smiling. "Sorry, I had to, I thought it was r-really cute the way you jumped and squeaked."

The girls mouth slacked open in disbelief in what she heard.

bBANG BANG BANG/b

Morty jumped and swung their heads toward the window. Jessica doubled over and covered her ears for a moment. "Ah!" It slid open.

"What's up slut." A short and stout boyish-looking girl climbed from the room. She sported a pair of cargo shorts and a long sleeved black RipNDip alien shirt. And as if she was trying to dress like a fuckboy, her pixie-cut, dirty-blonde hair was held underneath none other than a red SnapBack. She looked like a jackass.

"Shae, you don't have to be so loud." Jessica murmured.

"You're right. Don't have to, just want to."

"Hmph." Jessica rolled her eyes and shook her head a little. "Rude."

"Ay, Don't be mad. Look." Shae swished what was obviously a clear liquor bottle in her hand.

"You didn't introduce me to your little girlfriend." She closed the window and settled herself on the other side of Jessica.

Upon inspection, she appeared a few inches shorter than Morticia herself. She held out her hand, "I'm Shae."

The brunette's mood, flustered from the girlfriend comment, turned to irritated with the new girl's presence, but she shook the hand lazily despite this. "Morty."

"Nice to meetcha Morty." Her voice had a slight twang that made Morty want to roll her eyes. This was supposed to be her time with the redhead. But Jessica was mute.

"How was your day Jess?" Shae took a swig.

"Shit, like usual, it seems as of lately." She flicked her cigarette.

"Aw, sucks to sucks. Here." The blonde offered the bottle and the prep tipped it high, guzzling it for a solid 3 seconds. Morticia's mouth fell open.

"Holy shit." She couldn't stop herself from uttering. 'This,' Morticia thought for the nth time this evening, 'This definitely was not the prim, pressed and proper future prom queen she's led everyone on to believe.' There was a pain in her eyes she was chasing away with that bottle. Morty craved to know and ease whatever haunted her.

"You're not going to tell anyone are you?" Jessica shot the girl a defensive look.

"O-O-Of course not!" She blushed. "M-Mums the word."

"Okay, sorry I, I just can't have people knowing." The girl handed off the bottle to the brunette. Morty was reluctant to grasp it, but closed her fingers around it anyways. Studying the clear drink, she remembered Summer's words again.

Tightening her grip around the glass neck, she copied Jessica's action with almost the same amount of vigor. She got down two gulps before the sting of the alcohol registered in her brain. She swung her head forward and held the bottle towards the prep. A combination of coughs and gags erupted out of the teen.

"Oh-bleck-oh, my god. This cough is worse than-hurk-the cigarettes."

'Why does Rick like this?' Morty thought. Everything burned. Her throat, her nose, mouth, stomach, eyes. God it was bad. She silently wondered how she could stop the burning.

As this was happening, she felt the bottle being removed from her hand. Shae was slapping her own knee, bursting out in a hearty laugh. Morticia whipped her head towards the blonde, about to tell her off, but saw that Jessica too, was snickering. Holding her hand in front of her mouth, stifling her laughs. The Smith bit her lip and looked down, blushing in anger and embarrassment.

"I-I'm haha, sorry." Morty felt hand on her shoulder. "You keep doing cute things!"

"C-Cute?" Morty's heart jumped, it was the second time she's said that to her on the roof. "Th-Thanks..." she saw she was in good company, being laughed with, not at.

The bottle was handed back to the blonde. She finished the little bit that was left. "Was that your first drink?" Shae hooted.

"Yeah."

She wiped her mouth. "What did you think?

Jessica removed her hand from the girls shoulder.

'Disgusting.'

"I-It was alright." Morty shrugged.

"I hate alcohol, it's boring and gross." Shae fished out a carton of her own cigarettes from one of her pockets.

"Then why do you drink it?" The brunette tilted her head.

"To get drunk." The relative lit up a cigarette. "Anyways, what're y'all gonna do?"

Morty knew it must've been a trick her mind was playing on her, but the sting burn in her stomach transformed into a fuzzy feel that deeper into her brain. Her mind wondered as she heard words leaving her crush's' mouth. For maybe the hundredth time, she stepped back from the situation. 'Why am I here? What was different? Why is she being so nice?' Inhibitions lowering, she went out on a limb.

"Jessica... w-why did you invite m-me?"

The girl quieted down. Shae knitted her eyebrows together. "Does she know?"

"Shae!" The redhead snapped.

"What?" She held her hands up as if she hadn't meant to offend her cousin (or whatever).

"Know what?" She leaned towards the two.

"Nothing!" Jessica turned quickly back to the Smith.

"Jessica! You said she could help. You need to stop this." She gestured intensely with both of her hands, even with the bottle.

"Stop what? What're you talking about." She kept glancing between the two.

"Nothing!" The prep unsuccessfully tried to reassure Morty.

"You can't have him beating on you like this!" She held the bottle between her thighs and grabbed Jessica's wrist, pulling the grey sleeve down. Morty gasped.

Her pale skin, painted purple, yellow, black, blue. Red cuts marred her skin.

"Stop!" She jerks her arm away and swung it back out, shoving Shae. "Hey!"

Rage filled Morticia. "Who did that?!"

"Her boyfriend."

"Stop!"

"Brad?! Why haven't you told anyone?"

Jessica hung her head and held it in her hands, her elbows on her knees. "Please... I don't want to talk about it."

"Jessica, please."

"Please. What." She snapped her head towards Morty. The movement was quick and the tone was biting. It startled the brunette, she was lost for words.

"Tell someone? Leave him? I'm sure I'll appreciate your advice when I'm attending both of my parent's funerals in my Hawkin-esque chair (A/N: rest in peace sweet prince) after he beats me into next year and murders my family." Her voice hitched, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I-If it was that easy..." Jessica's voice softened to a whisper and a single black tear trailed swiftly down her cheek, "I would've already done it."

"Oh, Oh my God." She clenched her fists and began breathing in and out deeply. How could she not see this sooner? When did this start? It couldn't have been that long ago. She just today noticed the strange clothes and heard the panicky way she answered the phone to Brad.

"How long ago did it start?"

"Ha, the abuse? Or when I had to start hiding it?"

Morticia was silent, but just nodded her head.

"Fuck, well I guess since it's all out-" She shot a look to Shae. "-I'll explain the situation." She pulled out another cigarette.

"It didn't start out this way." She laughed at nothing in particular. "I really did like him and vice versa. I knew a lot of boys and girls liked me. " She glanced over to Morticia. "Not to sound like I'm bragging."

Morti nodded.

"But he didn't treat me like I was something to be looked at upon a pedestal, he treated me like a girlfriend, I felt loved and protected." She took a drag.

"But, then something in him changed. I don't really know what caused it. It began with him bad mouthing my male friends, then my female ones. I-I just thought he was being protective... That's just what he told me." Her voice caught, and Shae put a hand on her back. "He became a lot meaner, to me. Name calling, threats, the 'norm.'" She made parenthesis with her fingers. "I really thought it was just a phase, his parents were divorcing, I thought he would come back and get better." She bit her lip and there was a tense pregnant pause. Morticia was leaning forward without realizing it.

"Two months ago he yanked me back by my hair when I tried to walk away." Morty screwed up her face in rage, still clenching her fists. "The second after he did that he broke down, crying and apologizing. He begged on his knees for forgiveness, his face pressed into my stomach, arms wrapped around my waist. I had never seen him like that, and I thought I caught a glimpse of the old Brad." She put out the cigarette on the roof. "But it was just an illusion." She spat. "It just got worse."

"Jessica, why haven't you told anyone?"

"He has a gun. I've seen it one too many times, he's told me how he would take everything away from me. And I believe in him."

The brunette acted on an urge, she grabbed her hand that wasn't holding a cigarette and squeezed. The redhead stared at the hands, not knowing what to think. Morty began wondering if she crossed a boundary. Jessica squeezed back.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She let go. She had a small smile on her face. "I need another drink."

"Can we talk more about this?"

"Hmm." Jessica stood up. "Maybe, after I get my drink."

"Jess-"

"Nope, not until I get my drink."

Morty looked to Shae. She gave the bottle a small shake to show that it was empty.

"Looks like it's a topic for another day." She rose her shoulders as if she couldn't help it.

"Can't Shae buy you more?"

"Dude I'm like 19. I stole this from the cupboard." She brought her hand to the corner of her glasses, covering her eyes. The sun was beginning to lower to eye level. "The only thing I can get us is cigarettes."

The brunette stood up and sighed. "Jessica would-would you really talk about it if you had a drink?" Morticia lightly touched her shoulder.

Jessica looked off to the side. "Theoretically, yes."

Morty's phone suddenly buzzed. She looked at the device, wondering who could be texting her.

*go straight home, now* it was Rick. It buzzed again. *i know who youre with, leave and do not go outside the house.*

'How the fuck does he know I'm not home?' She filled up her cheeks with air then blowed out. If she asked she knew what his answer would be. 'Because I'm Rick motherfucking Sanchez, I'm a god." His overly enunciated words ran through her head.

Buzz.

*ill be home around 12*

Morty rolled her eyes, 'Fuck off.' But then she thought of something.

"Hey, there-there's a ton of booze at my house. My gr-grandpa is an alcoholic, he won't notice if we drink some."

"I don't know Morty... He might and you and him fought earlier today. Wouldn't he get pissed?" She asked doubtfully.

That only fueled Morticia's want to misbehave grow. "W-We literally have probably enough to stock two bars. And he's a-always too drunk to notice the small things."

The preps eyebrows perked up upon hearing this. "Sounds good to me." Jessica bent over and pulled open the window. "Is it alright if Shae comes? She doesn't have any friends."

"It's true." The girl got to her feet with a grunt.

The brunette breathed heavily out her nose, but couldn't find it in her to say no, she didn't want to be a jerk despite her desire to be alone with the redhead. "Sure."

"Fuck yeah." The eldest followed her relative through the window, jumping inside the room and landing with a thud.

Morty sat down on the window ceil and slid herself in.

"Make sure you lock the window." The redhead shoehorned her feet into her tied converse.

The Smith pulled down the glass and flicked the latch. She brushed off her rear of leaves and dirt.

"Should we take my car?" Shae pulled out her keys from her khaki baggy shorts and spun them around her finger.

"It's only a 6 minute walk, plus I don't want m-my parents knowing I brought visitors... Th-They can be uh, kinda... you know?" She twisted the top of her braid and glanced up as if the ceiling would have the words written on it.

"Overbearing?" Jessica guessed.

"Bothersome?" The shortest girl chimed in.

"Embarrassing?" The prep continued.

"Y-Yeah, yep and yes."

The blonde walked out and the brunette followed.

"I get it." She looked shoulder and winked. "We can be sneaky."

She trotted down the stairs. Hopping in front of the entrance, she stood waiting for Morticia to catch up. As she nears she twisted the knob and held the door for Shae and Morti.

"After you, M'lady." She motioned towards outside and giggled a bit.

"U-Uh Thank you, my-my good lady." She pretended to tip the brim of a hat and walked across the threshold.

"Jessica I can tell you're already feeling better." Shae followed Morty down the street, the prep closed and locked the door and went into a clumsy half-run to catch up with the two.

"I took my after school 'medicine'. Of course I feel better." She strode along side the Smith. "So what's the plan?" Her face was red with light intoxication and her smile sent butterflies to her stomach.

Morty's own face began flushing. "Uhhh- I, g-guess, you two go to the garage, a-and I'll go in through the front door and l-let you in when no one is looking?" She ended the statement with higher tone.

"You sure?" Shae asked,"Sounds like we're cutting it pretty close."

"It'll, be, It'll be fine." Morty waved her hand.

A few minutes and a few stumbles from Jessica later, the three turned onto Morti's street.

"There it is." She squinted her eyes as they approached the house. "Sweet, the garage is open."

"Dude, what the sam-hell is that?!" As soon as the woman saw Ricks ship, she bolted towards the garage.

"Hey! Wait!" Morticia yelled. "Be careful! Don't touch anything!" The teen broke into a light jog. 'Grandpa Rick won't notice some booze missing, but he can tell when someone messed with his shit.'

"Wait up!" Jessica sprinted behind Morty. "You're gonna be a rotten egg!" She speedily passed the younger high-schooler and giggled.

The sight was something to behold the shy teen. She was being so... "Cute." Morticia barely whispered under her breath. It stunned her for a second, she quickly recovered and ran, gingerly trying to to beat the ginger. She might as well not even had tried though, as the prep ran way faster than she thought.

"What the fuck?" Shae stopped in her tracks as she stepped into the garage. Jessica had been on her tail and didn't react in time to stop them from colliding. Luckily, they caught themselves from falling. While Shae gaped at Ricks Lab, Jessica was taken aback as well. She knew he was an Einstein-like genius. It's no secret at school that Morty got forced into a UFO on a almost daily basis. This was also her only claim to fame, and before her Grandfather showed up, nobody really knew her.

"So... Uh..." It was Jessica's turn to search for words. "Rick, your grandpa, made all this?" She gestured widely as Morty came to a winded stop.

"Y-Yes, look, don't touch, phew." The girl couldn't help but double over.

"The car's gone... Let me see if anyone's home." She stood up straight. "Go stand near that door.

She went around to the front door and retrieved the key under the doormat, the worlds safest place. As she opened the door she called out, "Hey! I'm home."

No answer.

Walking to the living room, she noted how silent it was. 'Well, Mom and Dad are definitely not here.'

"Summer?" She yelled.

"Yeah?" A muffled voice replied.

"Just checking!"

"Kay!"

Morty squealed to herself, she was aware of the buzz that now made her head swim happily. She ran over clumsily to the door and swung it open. "After you, M'lady."

Jessica curtsied coyly. "Thank you, my good lady." Walking inside, she hauled Shae along by the wrist.

"Wait!" She pulled lightly at the grip. "How are you not more curious?"

"Later. Come on."

"Fine." She tugged her hand away and pointed to Ricks door. "What's that to?"

"My Grandfathers room." Morty closed the door and headed for the stairs.

"Is there more cool shit in there?"

"Depends on your meaning of 'cool shit'." The Smith was regretting not putting her foot down and saying the young adult couldn't come, but held her tongue as she climbed up the stairs. "If selfish drunk fits your criteria, then yes."

"O-Oh." Shae stammered. The redhead whispered in her ear. The blonde nodded her head, "Ohh, ok, sorry."

"It's fine." Morticia brushed it off, opening her door. 'Fuck.' She forgot the state she left her room in. Closing the door and putting her back to it, facing the two girls. "Uh... my room i-is uh... It's really messy."

"You've seen mine, now show me yours." Jessica teased and rolled her eyes, "You should see Shae's room too. It's fine, really."

The host reluctantly twisted the knob. "...Okay..." She waved her hand in and stepped away from the doorway, while looking at her own feet, blushing.

"J-Just st-stay in here, I'll grab the al-alcohol."

The guests entered. "It's actually not that bad." Shae assured her before Morti walked towards her sisters room.

Knocking on the door she waited for her sister to call out.

"What?"

Morticia opened the door and stuck her head in, speaking almost too fast for Summer, laying lazily sideways on her bed, to understand. "I-got-friends-over-don't-tell-Mom-and-Dad." She began to close the door.

"Okay-Wait!" Summer looked up from her phone. "Grandpa Rick was on my ass about getting you home."

The teen gripped the doorway. "What did h-he say."

"He was asking who you were with and wanted me to pick you up from Jessica's house." Her eyes returned to the small screen. "He was blowing up my phone. I told him to chill and that you were on a date."

Morti grimaced. The fact that he was blowing up Summers phone kind of scared her. She really didn't want any of the other family members know about Morti's little 'situation'.

"O-Okay." Morti slowly started to close the door but then burst it back open. "O-Oh! Summer!"

"Huh?" She flicked her eyes back up.

"D-Do you know where any of Ricks h-hidden liquor is?" Morti asked nervously, hoping Summer wouldn't disapprove.

"You can have the one in the third drawer to the bottom." She pointed at the dresser. "But, if you get caught, you're taking the fall for it, not me. Ok?"

"O-Okay." She pulled open the drawer. She moved the folded undergarments around until her hand made contact with glass. "Th-thanks Summer." She pushed the drawer back in.

"Be safe, girl." Summer nonchalantly waved as Morti closed the door.

When the brunette entered the room she saw the two girls eyes wandering around the room. She closed the door behind her and kicked clothes and papers to the side and sat down.

The two girls sat in front of her.

The Smith mindlessly handed off the bottle to the other highschooler.

"Whoa." Whispered Jessica with one eye closed and the other one peering down the opening. "Shae look at this." She tilted the bottle.

The blonde looked in it as if it was a peephole. "The fuck is this shit?"

Morty watched the faces of the girls, they both had their eyebrows up comically high, they shot a glance towards each other then to Morty. "Are you sure we can drink this?" Shae asked and handed over the bottle.

Morticia looked for herself. It was glowing green, like the way radioactive waste does in cartoons. 'If Summer was drinking it, then it has to be okay.' She tipped the bottle and bravely took a guzzle to show it was alright... and to secretly try and impress Jessica.

She held back a gag. It was definitely booze.

"Awww yeah! Maybach music!" Shae nabbed the bottle and sucked down a good amount.

Jessica impatiently snagged it from her. "You drink like a fish." She knocked back more than either of them.

"Glub, Glub, Glub." The young adult retorted.

For the next few minutes, Shae and Jessica kept the exchange going with small talk and smart ass seemingly forgot the original reason for having came here.

There was a silent moment. Then a growl of a stomach.

"Dude, that green shit is not agreeing with me." Shae groaned, clutching her stomach. She leaned on Jessica's shoulder.

The prep winced at the contact and moved over so she could help the relative lay on the ground.

"I-In what way?" Morticia asked uneasily. Rick stained her carpet so many times with spilled booze and vomit, she didn't another crackpot soiling the floor in her room.

"Like the I-need-to-lay-down-in-the-restroom way." She pushed herself up, arms shaking. She dry heaved.

"Aaaaand we're walking." Jessica's eyes widened, grabbing her arm and stumbling to her feet, trying to help the blonde to hers.

"I-I'm good, I'm just... gonna chill near the bowl." She backed out of the taller girls grip and lumbered to the door.

"It's to th-the right. A-Are you gonna be alright?" Morty asked with feigned concern.

"Y-Yeah... S-Sorry man." She opened the door and quickly shuffled out without closing it.

Jessica closed the door softly and sat back down on the ground, so close to Morty that their knees touched.

"Morty." The slur from her voice disappeared. Her eyes conveyed stone-cold sobriety. She grabbed the younger girls hands in her own. "Morty, I need your help."

The brunette was shaken by being caught off guard with the severity in her voice. "U-Uhh, Okay?"

"Listen. I know you and your Grandfather are not the best on the best of terms right now." Her blue eyes watched the small involuntary changes in the girls expression. "But I need-" She shook their hands up and down slightly with every syllable she spoke. "-I ineed/i his help. I need iyour/i help. I-I can't keep living like this, Morty I know we never talked before the last few days but, p-please I only h-have so-" Morty threw her arms around the girl who started to ramble.

The prep tensed up.

Morticia's heart pounded. Her heart broke for Jessica and her shyness ebbed. "Y-You don't have to be sc-scared anymore." The Smiths chin was on her shoulder. "I'm here for you, we're gonna f-fix this."

Jessica took a long shaky inhale and wrapped her arms around the girls neck. "Th-Thank you." She sobbed lightly and tucked her head into Morty's neck.

They stayed like this for a while, the only sound being Jessica's light sniffling and the soft shuffling of fabric as Morty lightly rubbed her back.

The teens closed their eyes.

Morticia felt guilty for enjoying the feeling. Being needed by someone. Her nearby future flashed behind her closed eyes. Some sort of plan to get rid of Brad, hopefully violently. Finding new comfort in having an actual friend at school, and that friend being none other than the 'most popular girl at school'.

She knew Rick would say no at first but if she explained Jessica's situation to him, there would be no way he would just let the abuse continue.

Morty was the first to pull away, but she still held the other girls shoulders. It had been a long embrace, a few minutes long, but for the two it felt like only moments.

"Th-Things are gonna be l-looking up from n-now-"

Jessica cut her off by pressing her lips to Morty's.

'...' Morty's mind short circuited. Her eyes widening, pupils dilating.

Out of all the things to happen today, in retrospect, this was what she least expected. Bearing in mind her Grandfather staggered in in the wee hours of the morning and made out with her.

She was so shocked she didn't move to deepen the kiss even as Jessica licked her bottom lip.

Because of the lack of response, Jessica moved back. "I-I'm sorr-" but Morty cut her off this time, they tilted their heads in opposite directions. It hastily deepened, the alcohol and hormones running through their veins working as tinder to heat the kiss up.

Jessica pushed the brunette backwards slightly, Morty supported herself by putting a arm behind her and splaying her legs in front of her as the teen straddled her lap.

It wasn't a sloppy kiss like two teens hooking up at a party, it was passionate and full of longing.

The door opened.

'I guess Shae is feeling better.' Morty pulled back from the kiss with embarrassment and looked up at the redhead.

Jessica's eyes bulged and she swung her arm out trying to get off Morty. Her arm hit the uncapped bottle, spilling the bright fluid everywhere. "Shit." She muttered as she fell on her butt.

Morty turned around. Her stomach dropped.

It was Rick.

In front of him was Shae he had his hand wrapped around the back of her neck. She looked absolutely panick-stricken. "Look who I found taking pictures of my lab." He pushed her into the room. "Some fucking randomo."

Peeking out from behind him was the Rita she had seen on the holo-top, distressed and uncomfortable.

"Oh fuck." Morty faltered to her feet.

"Oh fuck is right." He growled.


	9. Chapter 9

*whispers* oh hey there im back

Um so yeah this is a long chapter, and it's got some regrettable sexy times in it so just a warning, also kinda dubcon. And violence.

* * *

"Oh fuck." Morticia tripped to her feet. "Y-You said you wouldn't be back until 12."

Shae, face now adorned with thick-rimmed square glasses, grunted as she was pushed in. Falling to one knee, her hat fell off and dropped to the carpet revealing an incision on the top right side of her head, half a finger-breadth long, black sutures still visible and surrounded by a thinning area missing patches of hair. The skin, raw and picked at. She brought her hand up to cover the spot and hastily tried to scramble up to her feet.

Rick and Rita stepped into the room, the man dead legging the back of the girl's knee to keep her down. She held her arms out in front of her, bracing for impact, only to be caught by her upper arm and yanked back on her knees.

"Oh fuck is right. It was to see if you'd listen." Lacking his normal drunken stutter, Rick pressed the blaster to the back of the girl's skull. "And you didn't."

"Jesus Christ!" Jessica shrilled at the sight.

A gun. He had a gun, just like Brad. He was threatening to kill her family, just like Brad. This was who was supposed to help her.

Morticia gleamed that much just with the glance she gave the girl.

"Judas priest." The oldest teen whimpered, her southern drawl drawn out in her terror-stricken state.

"Rick? Morty?" Summer called out from her room. "Are you okay?

"Rita, get the door." Rick ordered. "Mute us."

Rita faced the entry way and shut the door, flicking what looked like a green ball of snot to the door. Upon contact it spread across the wood and the threshold, solidifying into a thick crystalline surface. "L-Locked and silenced." She mumbled tiredly, as if she didn't want to do this.

"R-Rick." Morty began, keeping distance between them by stepping back. "St-Stop-"

"Give me one good reason not to fucking do it." The man emphasized the curse by prodding the back of the blondes head with the blaster.

"Oh, God." Shae began. "I-I ain't mean-"

"I wasn't asking you!" Rick snapped, cutting her off.

"Rick, p-put the gun down." It came out much less like a command, or even a request. It was more of an insecure suggestion. She motioned, pushing both of her hands downwards.

"Morty, doesn't i-it seem all too convenient, your little crush is up here getting you drunk, going to first base with you." He nodded his head towards the two girls. "While her skeazy little hick friend is down taking inventory of my lab with her teched-out phone." Rita lifted the phone to show them and tossed it to Morticia. "That doesn't set you off a little? Not-Not even a bit suss?"

Morty looked down at the back of the device in her hand. It looked like it it had a fancy sleek glowing case on it, but as she turned it around she realized it was a part of the device. The screen was see-through, micro processors flickering dimly behind the glass.

"She was just c-curious!" Morticia shrugged her shoulders.

She put a finger to the screen. As soon as she did, it lit up and spoke in a monotone drone.

" **Unknown user. Third failed attempt.** "

She saw a moving picture of herself.

" **Sending ID back to headquarters.** " It wasn't a picture, she was looking at herself in a camera.

"Shit." She saw her own mouth move before the screen flashed white, capturing the moment the words sunk into Morty's understanding.

" **Sent. Triangulating location 3... 2...** "

"Morty drop it!" Rick shouted.

She threw the phone down on the ground.

" **1... Sending coordin-** " It was cut short before it could complete the sentence, and hopefully the process, by a blast from Ricks gun. The edges of the round empty area turning bright reddish-orange and sizzling.

"Just curious? Bet." He spat. "What the fuck was that? H-How do you know her?"

"She's Jessica's d-distant relative." Morty glanced down to the girl cowering behind her, realizing how foolish she sounded. Why did she let this obviously off-color stranger in her home? What was happening? 'God, I should've said no.'

"Sh-She's my half-brother's wife's first cousin once removed." Jessica didn't skip a beat in her hushed tone. That somehow sounded worse.

"Uh huh." Rick squinted his eyes, looking past his granddaughters legs to the girl. "And when was the last time this 'relative' did wrong by you?"

"Uh... Uh." Jessica struggled frantically for an answer.

"Rick, you're— you're pointing a gun at her-her m-memory isn't go-gonna be the best. J-Just put the gun down."

"Answer me!"

"I don't know! I don't—I-I-I can't think right now! I don't think she ever has." Jessica bit her thumb, staring intensely at the blonde as if that would jog her memory.

"So gremlin here has never done anything that seriously pissed you off?" He cocked his unibrow.

"I-I mean... She can be annoying and loud." Her face softened and tone turned apologetic. "But-"

"No. I mean something bad, that would make you want to smack the little twerp." He interrupted rudely.

"Then no... She's like one of my best friends." Morty could hear the nostalgic smile in her voice.

"Best friend, huh? Morty have you seen her around?" His eyes flicked upwards to her.

"S-Sir, I'ma fur piece from here-"

"Shut it!" Rick jerked her back.

"N-No! She's from Texas, just visiting, for fuck's sake, Rick put the blaster down!" Morticia's voice gained a heavier note only to crack sharply at the end.

"Texas. Okay, explains the stupid accent." He pointed the blaster up to the ceiling, the young woman sighed in relief. "But answer me this: Who is the serial killer in the Senate? What do they remember there? Do you know where they keep it weird?"

"N-No?" She blew out, clearly puzzled but not bothering to inquire. "Please, jus' lemme go."

"Uncultured." He released the teens arm, a bright red grip mark glaring angrily on her pale skin.

She struggled to stand up, her leg that had been kicked in refused to move as fast as she wished. But as soon as she could climb to her feet, she picked up her Snapback and put it on. "J-Jessica, let's git the _fuck_ out of d-dodge." She almost begged, pushing her glasses higher up on her nose.

The scientist aimed and shot the girl through her abdomen. A low screech ripped from her throat, and she dropped like a box of rocks.

"Shae!" The redhead shrieked and threw out a hand.

"Oh my God Rick!" Morty fell to her knees and looked over the convulsing older teen. She inched closer to the girl, who looked straight up and ahead, jerking and grunting.

The brunette trembled softly. "Sh-Shae are-are you-"

The blonde began coughing, hacking up blood. Except it wasn't blood. At least not human blood.

Shae turned her head to the side, viscous bright pink fluid trailing down her lips and on to the floor. Her unfocused eyes met Morticia's gaping face. A arm reached to grab her hand. Suddenly she was rambling, notably with out an accent, "If I don't come back they'll just send mo- ack!" Rick's foot struck her side, ending the warning with a violent cough that splashed over the Smith.

"Don't _fucking_ touch my Morty." He threatened.

"EE! Ew!" The brunette jerked her hand away and fell back on her rear.

"Wh-What the hell..." Jessica's words were hot on Morty's nape. She felt a quivering hand on her shoulder, then on the other. The redhead peeked past her schoolmate's neck, hiding her face. Morty grabbed one of the hands and lightly stroked it with a thumb.

"Well I do declare we got sumthin'." Rick mocked in a heavy southern twang as he pulled his phone out. "My thinkin' was close." He got to his knees, placing one on the girls neck. "But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, now don't it?" Cocking his eyebrow, he dropped the accent. " _Partner_."

"Mercy." She choked out.

"Move and you're gone." He held the lids of the right eye open and turned the light from his phone to shine into it.

"I-I don't understand, Sh-Shae are you not h-human?" Jessica whispered.

Rick noted the lack of constriction from the wide black pupils that eclipsed the hazel iris, allowing him to easily see into the eye.

A second iridescent crimson pupil that reflected a light turquoise shrank to a slit with a small yellow dot pointing straight at the man. "Oh she's still human, barely. Morty, you remember that whole memory parasite fiasco we had a while back? Well it looks like we've she's got one of their more advanced relatives. She most likely sold her body to a bounty agency who implanted it." He pulled away the light and dragged his finger lightly across her chin, gathering some of the Pepto-Bismol liquid.

"The alien releases an immune suppressant so it can take over the host body's functions without inducing a cytokine storm. But the catch is the only way for the immune system to be properly suppressed when the parasite first enters, is if the host is willing. The relationship then becomes symbiotic. The parasite needs the host for mobilization and nutrition, and the host needs the alien for immune responses and homeostasis that the body can no longer handle on its own." He rubbed his fingers together as he observed its color. "Traded her body to host one of them so they can carry out missions stealthily for whoever's paying bounty, in return they get the winnings. While the parasite is fronting, it can control her movements and she feels no pain usually... unless they're caught." He let go of her face and lightly smacked it.

"Can you hear me in there?" He shoved a finger in the blaster wound. Both Morty and Jessica cringed at the squelching. "Who sent you?"

Her face had grown unnaturally pink at this point (probably because the weird blood) from restricted airflow.

An unsettling low rumble that was only understood due to the silence of the room. "M-My host, I apologize," The red pupil dilated to the size of the black one. "I'm going to the back, we've been found out." The voice was like a garbage disposal, Morty thought.

"What, W-Wait!" She replied shakily to herself in her normal voice. "The mission's not done."

"The mission has been compromised. Escape." She grumbled jarringly before the second pupils constricted until they were gone completely, leaving the black pupils to shrink down to a small fearful dot.

The girls relatively calm face blanched, and she immediately pawed at Rick's hand, groaning in pain.

"Quite an accomplice you have there, looks like it was just waiting for a chance to bail." The man pushed his fingers deeper. "What agency?" The scientist interrogated downwards. "Who's gonna send more?"

Shae's face screwed up. "Gotcha. Th-that's the name of the agency." She confessed, trying and failing to writhe away. She was more put together before, but now bubblegum tears fell freely down her cheeks.

"Never heard of them." That info didn't really help him. "Who hired you?"

"They didn't tell me."

"Wrong answer." He added another finger.

Morty began feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of... this she was seeing.

Shae gripped his hand so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Ack! I-I'm serious! They only tell my co-pilot classified stuff like that!" Her heels dug into the ground and scooted heavily across the carpet but she wasn't able to move an inch.

"Your co-pilot?" Rick scissored his fingers, stretching and audibly cracking the black charred flesh.

"Oh my god, oh my—" She babbled out worthlessly between puffs and whines. "Ye-Yes! Th-The parasite."

"Stop! Shae!" Jessica had seen enough and stood up to stop the man but Morty turned around and raised her arms out to the side, blocking the redhead.

"R-Rick what's happening?" She glanced over her shoulder at him, pressing for an explanation.

"W-We'll have more time to discuss this later."

He stood up, wiping the goop off on his coat and pocketed the blaster, trading it for the portal gun. He shot the ground underneath the blonde. She fell through the green circle. both the circle and the girl disappeared.

"Shae!" Jessica yelled once more.

His eyes set on the redhead. "You're next."

The prep didn't let her intimidation show, she couldn't. She spent too much time and energy doing that with Brad and she was tired. The only reason Brad threatened her family was to get her to do as she was told. If she wasn't there, then why would he possibly want to hurt them? As long as her family was safe, she had no fear. If she was going to die right then and there, so be it.

Jessica lurched, grabbing Rick's coat, screaming in his face, "What did you do to her?" She yanked him down closer so she could glare into his eyes. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Chill!" He ripped her fists away from him and held them. She went for his blaster tucked in the back of his pants, Morty taken aback by her boldness.

"Jessica, Stop!" She stayed in place, knowing full well that Rick wouldn't hesitate to 'smack a bitch'.

"Ugh!" Rick grabbed the blaster from Jessica's loose grip and held both guns out of her reach. He jabbed an elbow at her, trying to push her back, while she had been down going to tackle him by his waist. He ended up elbowing her right in the mouth.

She yelped and slapped her hands over the area. It wasn't too hard, but as she pulled her red fingers away she realized how bad the busted lip hurt. She knitted her brow. Tears welled up and leaked out of her eyes as it bled sourly.

"You want more? I've got more." Rick warned, distressed that he actually drew blood. Although not obvious, this was his version of apologizing.

Morty quickly got in between the two of them before this scuffle escalated into anything more.

Jessica threw herself forward once more to try and throw down with the old man. "Jessica! C-Calm down!" His granddaughter caught the redhead as a small bright red dot appeared on her forehead.

Morty followed the trail that pierced the air back to its source, Rita's index finger. Her hand making a shaking finger gun, her one good eye focused on them.

"Your little parasite possessed friend is fine." He waved absentmindedly to Rita. "Stand down, look the blood is red." He pointed out.

Jessica breathed deeply, and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I think I-I'm not understanding then what I just saw." She put hand up to grip the side of her head, as if a headache began to spread. LWas that n-not Shae o-or is she sick? H-How did you know this 'Shae' w-was a-a...a that 'thing'?"

"I didn't, she just really annoyed me. Did you hear that fake accent? Did you see what she was _wearing_? Like an Austin frat boy, amirite?" He cracked and expectantly gestured.

"R-Rick..." Morty for once wished he was more serious as to quell both of the girls concerns.

Jessica was at a lost on how to react to that.

"She's fine. Jesus, didn't realize I had such a tough crowd. It's a portal gun, I know you've seen me use it before-at the school. She _should_ be under the locked bunker, alive, maybe. Also, that Shae punk isn't your family, you don't know her." He directed his words to the prep.

"What are you talking about? I've, I've known her my whole life." Jessica retorted.

"Do you have any bad memories of her?" He asked once more, increasingly irritated. "No one's perfect, definitely not someone like that."

"I already told you she's been annoying and kind of pushy as of late."

"And by 'as of late' you mean today?" Rick crossed his arms. "Because there's a good chance that your memory isn't gonna add up."

She was quiet. She pulled away from the brunette, looking up and to the side, using two fingers to press down on her bloodied lip. She thought.

Morty chimed in, "You know, you didn't mention her when we were texting. S-Someone moving in does s-seem like something that would c-c-come up."

"Hush... I'm trying to think!" The girl snapped. "I-I have like really awesome memories of us together!"

"Oh yeah?" Rick asked sarcastically. "Spill."

"She beat up a bully for me two years ago at school!"

"Ha! Was the bully a dwarf?" Rick snorted.

"Hold up, I know for a fact that n-never happened. She's four years older than you. Even if she w-was from here, which she's not, she wouldn't have been in the same middle school as us." Morty held her own chin between her index finger and thumb. "Plus! I definitely would've seen that, o-or at least heard about it."

"Morty, you don't know _everything_ about me, you didn't know about Brad." She put a hand on her hip.

"I remember when you stood up for tha weird kid Mary in the fifth grade. You also kicked that bully Luke in seventh grade, people may have talked bad about you behind your back…" she noticed how confused Jessica's face grew. "... out of jealousy, but nobody was ever bold enough to mess with you."

Jessica's head tilted to the side, "You remember all that?"

Morty blushed and nodded "I-I was..." She rubbed the back of her head, "... always infatuated with you-"

"AAAAAAnd I've had enough of this. You don't even know how to spell that." Rick interrupted, shooting a portal on a nearby wall. "Come on Morticia, help me take her to the archive." He motioned towards the impromptu exit. "We g-got some erasing to do. Then we're dropping her off and getting off the grid."

"What?" Jessica and Morty ask in unison.

"You know, her memory."

Morty recovered from her perturbation much faster than the redhead.

"Rick, actually!" Morty pushes nervously, knowing she was in no position to be asking favors. "I, we-we need your help." She looked back towards Jessica, the redhead giving her a small nod of approval.

"Whatever it is, I don't care." He continued towards the portal.

Morty bit her lip. "Rick..."

Rick looked over his shoulder, shooting Morticia a look that told her to move her feet, but she didn't listen.

"We don't have time for this Mort-"

"Brad's beating Jessica!" She blurted out.

Silence.

"O-Oh dear." Rita muttered.

Rick's expression didn't change. But he did turn away.

"Brad is... my..." Jessica started out unconfidently.

"Your what? Dad? Grandpa? Lover? Not just exclusively one?"

Jessica didn't catch that but Morty sure as hell did. She shifted her stance in disconcertion. 'Smartass.'

"My, my boyfriend." She held her eyes off to the side, her shoulders hunched, ashamed to admit as much.

"Uh, D-3." Rita pushed her fingers together. "I-I-I hate to rush you b-buuut they c-could be sending back ups right now aaan-and we don't know—"

"I _know_ that Rita." He twist his head back and spat.

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

A moment passed. "We _really_ don't have time for this Morty."

He shook his head as if to shake off the girls' confessions. "Let's go."

"Rick!"

"Morty!" He barked back.

She gave a mirthless scoff. "I don't believe it!" Sure she knew he was an awful person but he was reaching a whole new plane.

"Well you better."

"We can't just let her go back to living like that!"

"Yeah! We fucking can! It's not our problem."

Jessica's eyes switched between the two, awkwardly. Furrowing her brow at her future being discussed so flippantly.

"Rick! Come on! There's got to be something you can do!"

"That something I can do is get us the hell out of here."

Morticia's words were running dry. Surely he was better than this. What did she see in him before? "Rick what if it were me?" She motioned towards herself. "Would you let someone do something like that to me?"

"Maybe with the way you're acting now I would." He shot her a look that could kill.

Clearly with the stakes now raised after her fuck up, she would have to compromise. She grumbled, "Okay, okay, how far back?"

"Minimum for the machine is a solid 24 hours, come on." He tipped his head in the direction.

"Rick!" She was putting her foot down.

"Morty there are more important things now than getting a girlfriend, if she _really_ likes you then she will ask to hang out again after all of this blows over."

"That's not the problem, Rick. Come on, what about that powder you used on dad and Summer earlier this week?"

"Wait, Wait, Wait. Don't I get a say in this?" Jessica butted in.

Rick ignored her.

"It won't wipe her clean like I want. It would still be in her unconscious."

"Why does that matter?" She tilted her head.

"Oh my god we are running out of time." Rick grumbled.

"Let me make it in your best interest." In a swift and calculated move, Rick seized Morty's wrists and pulled her close.

She was puzzled about his intention as he slipped a hand around her lower back, but as he cupped her face with his other hand she began straining to get out of the gentle but firm grip.

"Oh, no you don't." His arms tightened like a vise.

"Rick!" She twisted her head and put her hands on his chest, struggling to put distance between them. "Stop it!"

"Yeah, now look who's pushing away from who." Rick grunted as he dug his index finger and thumb into the hollow of her cheeks, pulling her to look at him. "I thought this was what you wanted. What was it you said to me earlier on the ship again?" He stared right into Morticia's eyes as if she would actually answer him.

"Rick." She was dead quiet but dead serious. "Y-You know d-damn well you're twisting th-this." She continued to pull against his grip.

"'I liked it. You liked it.'" He mimicked her in a light falsetto. "'I know you're good for me.' That's what she said to me this afternoon Jessica." After he finished quoting her his voice dropped back down as he looked towards the redhead, her jaw was slacked in disbelief. "That's perfect, keep making that face." He turned the teen's head to face Jessica, but she kept her eyes down.

"Jessica, don't listen t-to him." Her cheeks turned red and eyes began to moisten, she couldn't bring herself to see what kind of expression was on her crush's face.

"Wow. Not even going to try denying it." He sneered.

She knew Rick was going to erase Jessica's memory and this was his way of punishing her but it felt too real. Too confrontational of the problems in their relationship.

"R-Rick this is too far." Morty's eyes stayed glued to the floor.

"Yeah, That's what I thought when you were crawling into my lap Morty-"

"Rick." She murmured.

He tangled his fingers in the back of her hair and pulled it lightly down so she would look up.

"Look at her Morty! Look at her while I tell her what you did to me. How you straddled me in the ship and ran a hand through my hair and-" He seemed much too eager to do this.

She swallowed as she looked through tears at Jessica.

"a-and made out your Grandfather, even after I told you 'no'."

The girl swayed under Rick's hands, the prep's look was a punch in the gut.

The unevenly scrunched up nose, parted lips, slightly bared teeth and cocked eyebrow. The folds on her face, the places it stretched told Morticia everything she didn't want to know.

"Soak it in Tisha." His voice turned sweet and he turned her back around to face him. "Th-This is what we-we will get every time." He pointed at the other young girl. "Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam..." The silence was almost too thick to breathe. Rick realized Morty didn't understand him, but probably never would no matter what terms he told her in. He sighed, "You'll get it when you're older." He smiled a sad little smile. "I guess one for the road wouldn't hurt before I get rid of this night-" The words had barely left his mouth before he swiftly leaned over.

"-and nip this in the bud."

His lips were on hers.

3

This was the third time he's kissed her within 24 hours.

The third time he's kissed her ever.

There was a soft gasp from behind the brunette. The Smith hadn't realized she left her eyes wide open.

Another gasp. No. _It was a sob from Jessica_.

"Wha...Morty—what, what the fuck." The preps voice quivered.

Morty reeled back after she registered the words.

Just as Rick began to open his eyes almost woefully, his face was met with a fist that Morty wound up with the distance she pulled away. It was worse than she meant it to be, the sound reminded her of a sound effect in a movie.

Rick recoiled, hands clamping around his nose. He stumbled back. The young girl almost felt bad as she watched blood burst from underneath his fingers. Almost.

The way his eyes opened and tearfully flicked from betrayal to anger did cause a drop in her stomach though.

He pointed to the still open portal. "It's to the subterranean section. Rita, Jessica, if you'd please give us a _moment_." The emphasis in his voice was toxic and nasally from him cradling his nose.

A moment came and went.

He violently clears his throat before his female doppelgänger piped up. "Uh-Uh, yeah..." Rita motioned for Jessica to follow her.

"I-I'm not leaving." The prep shakily tread towards the two. "Morty, are you , you— I mean does he..." she trailed off while shaking her head incredulously.

"Uhhh. J-Jessica, come on sweetheart." Rita saw the tension rising in the room and moved to deescalate it. "I-I can show you the lab." She maneuvered quickly past the relatives and moved behind Jessica, pushing her lightly by her shoulders.

She jolted away and bounded towards the old man. But Morty stood as a hurtle in front her.

"Jessica. Stop! I-I'm serious!" Even with Morty's vertical disadvantage, she had weight on her side and was able to keep the redheads assault of tiny fists from hitting their intended target. Rick glared on.

"You, you pervert! I'll kill you!" She spat, in a blind rage, she shoved Morticia out of the way and into her dresser. But before she could lay a hand on him Rita pounced on her. The elder restrained her, rapping her arms around her from behind.

Rita lifted her with a grunt and a struggle.

"I'd like to see you try." He growled. "Rita, get her out of here."

Even when wildly thrashing, Jessica couldn't get her arms out from the woman's grip as she hobbled towards the glowing opening.

Morticia pressed her lips in a thin line, attempting to disguise her quaking fear that gripped her stomach in it's icy claws.

They enter, the green aura evaporated and he quietly began typing in another set of coordinates into the gun. "After this is dealt with, we are going to the Citadel." He muttered to himself before looking up. His nostrils flaired, "Let's chat."

"I-I-I-" As he slowly clambered across the room towards her, her resolve rapidly fell apart. The youth tried to keep the distance between them fixed. "I-IIIII didn't mean to h-hit you Rick." She intended to hold up her offended façade that caused her to strike, while trying to dig herself out of this not-so-metaphorical grave.

"Oh but you already did." He growled matter-of-factly and slammed his blaster and portal gun on the desk.

The back of her knees hit the bed, she swayed but steeled herself, as he approached the area beside her.

"You just don't get it do you Morticia?" Looking out the window. His mood seemed relatively calm for what just happened but she knew it was just because there was about to be a storm. If she tried, she could save herself from his wrath, but patience was not her virtue. So she opted to instigate and push her luck.

"No... I-I think you don't get it." She let her eyes glance up from her feet to him to watch his reaction. He was dabbing beneath his nose with the sleeve of his lab coat, his eyes fell on the houses across the street. "Y-You may be a genius, but you do not 'get' _this_." She intensified her statement by gesturing wildly. "Who the fuck does that kind of shit?! Wh-What kind of Rick does-"

"Don't you dare go there." His shoulders tensed but he kept his head straight forward. "What kind of Rick? WHAT KIND OF RICK? No." He pivoted towards her. "What kind of _Morty_ -" the word was scoffed out like a slur for incompetence. "-do you have to be to not be thankful that you aren't made to fill the traditional Morty role. You don't even know what that means though, do you?" He put a hand on his hip and watched the girls eyes go back down to the ground. "You know why I never take you to the Citadel?"

Morty tried to recalled the few times she had asked him that very question and his answer. "Because... They're all up their own asses?"

"Besides that, that, that place is disgustingly toxic. You're not gonna like what I'm about to say but you'll have to deal." His eyes didn't leave her. "What kind of Morty do you have to be to not make it easier on their Rick who is trying to protect her. Her Rick who lets them enjoy the freedoms so many other Morties don't. What kind of Morty let's strangers into the house after her Rick specifically and reasonably tells h-her to wait inside the house _alone_ for safety until he gets back. What kind of Morty does that shit even when she knows there's a sex trafficking ring looking for Morties like her?" His voice rose well above yelling.

"W-What're you gonna say, huh? A stupid one?" She shot back, attempting to hide her defensiveness. When he said it like that... she did feel pretty stupid.

"Well you're right about one thing." He sighed. "And then there's the kissing thing. I know Impulse control doesn't run in this family, you get that from me."

"You were the one who kissed me first!"

"Yeah, but I was drunk. What's you're excuse?" The gall of this man.

"Y-You're going to try and m-make me feel weird and gross about reciprocating your feelings from way earlier this morning." The tears that had been stinging her eyes finally spilled over. "W-W-Well it's too late, I-I already know I am. I just, I... Just-" She heaved erratically. "I just didn't think that y-you would think that." The girl dragged the back of her closed hand underneath her eye. "But obviously you were j-just wasted this morning, j-just like you said."

"Morty, you're not gross." His voice not quite as harsh as before.

"You d-don't have to l-lie." Turning away from him, she wrapped her arms around her body.

"It's-It's normal, Morty-well I wouldn't say normal, but," He cautiously stepped in her direction and with equal caution formed his words. "-it's not _unusual_."

She shook her head, she wasn't paying attention to him. She couldn't, she knew he was lying. There's no way this wasn't unusual. She had thought maybe they had a connection deeper than what was seen at first glance, a relationship other than mad scientist and side kick. Just because of that stupid kiss. It meant nothing. It was nothing to him. How could she not see that he just does things without thinking? "W-What's wrong with me?!"

"You're alright Tisha..." Rick extended his hand out to touch her shoulder as a show of reassurance, but she was having none of it.

"But when you do things like on you did on the ship. It, you-you... do things to me." He pulled at the hair on the sides of his head. "Physically, doing things to me as of the past few hours and it-it's getting harder to keep my hands off. So you've got to stop this."

That last part made her heart jump but his refusal to take even partial blame fueled her irritation.

She hadn't heard not even an utterance of an apology from him through out this entire mishap. Not once. Morty has tried to move on from it and spend time with Jessica but Rick just brought it up again and made everything sticky.

She swung her arm out with the force she spun around with, hitting his sternum. He just looked down at her, detached. "I tried to be a normal teenager after this morning and the ship incident! Then..." She kept hitting his chest but the power behind them decrescendoed. They didn't hurt, but it was enough to make him grunt the first time. "Y-You, you..." She sniffled. "-you did that, in front of _Jessica_." She pulled back a fist and threw it only for Rick to catch it by the wrist.

"Okay, that's enough. This conversation has o-officially come full circle and I'm getting r-real sick of you hitting me." He shoved her back and she fell on the bed. "I tried the carrot, now meet the stick."

Rick grabbed a framed photo off the night stand.

It was from Morty's 6th grade Daddy-Daughter dance. It was the first and only time Morty had gone to one. Mainly because of how shy she was and her embarrassment of her dads mannerisms. But since it was the last year she could go to one before middle school started, her parents talked her into attending it. It was clear that her and Jerry had had a fun night. Despite her timid ways, Morty loved getting dressed up and wearing the corsage her father bought for her (with Beth's money of course). And Jerry loved having Morty's attention for the whole night. It was one of the rare occurrences when he was the fun parent. They had both enjoyed dancing to classics from the past and hits from the present all night.

The picture was taken near the end of the evening, when Morticia spilled punch on her yellow dress followed by tears of humiliation but her mood took a quick turn when her dad poured punch on his own suit. 'Oops.' He had shrugged sarcastically. She giggled at the idea of matching stains.

It never failed to amuse the girl and remind her of Jerry's good humanity despite his constant stupidity.

Rick threw the memory to the ground.

The shattering didn't faze the young worn teen, she was caught in memories but brought back to the moment when Rick ground the ball of his foot on the broken frame, destroying the image.

She shot up from the bed. "Hey!" She yelled indignantly as if she was the one being ripped up underneath his shoe. The elder let his fist go through the thin dry wall. Morty was honestly taken aback with how hysterical he was being. "What's your problem?!" She began to take a step forward, to attempt to stop him from breaking anything else.

"No!" He ripped his hand from the dusty grip of the wall. She jumped back "You sit down and shut up or I swear to God." He pointed a powder cover finger at her.

The power of his voice was jarring and sent the girl back on the bed, crawling until her back hit the wall. She had only ever seen his actions get this intense when dealing with someone who was actively trying to harm him or his family. It usually didn't end so well for them. But he wouldn't hurt her, she just needed to calm him down. "Rick l-let's just talk." She should've just been compliant.

"We _were_ , you idiot." He foamed through clenched teeth as he encroached on Morticia's personal space. Shoulders hunched and finger still extended out accusingly. "You always say that right after you take things too far. Bringing the family down on me, earlier in the ship with the wheel, so obviously you can't 'just talk'"

He had a knee on the bed, Morty thought if she pushed into the wall any more, she would make a her-shaped hole in the drywall and brick and fall into the backyard. Unfortunately for her, this was not the case as she was trapped in her own bed. "So you're gonna listen. You understand?" The bed groaned under Rick as he added his other knee.

He was so close, never before having got in her space like this, at least not when he wasn't completely smashed or having a manic episode going on about how it was gonna be "Rick and Morty forever and ever." He had never been upset to the point that he was physical with her. But still, he wouldn't hurt her, or at least not physically. "Nod, don't talk." He towered over her and glared down into her wide eyes.

She nodded.

He inhaled. Exhaled.

Suddenly the man threw himself towards her. Before she could flinch or whimper, his hands slammed onto the wall on either side of her head.

"Ah!" She yelped.

'He wouldn't hurt me... right?' That once obvious question was starting to have a not so obvious answer.

He seethed, breathing laboriously in her face.

Morty closed her eyes and turned her head away, scrunching her face up pathetically. "R-Rick! You—You're scaring-"

"No." He grabbed her chin mid-sentence and angled it rough so she would be looking up at him.

Her day-old-lipstick stained lip trembled.

"Look at me in my eyes while I'm speaking to you Morticia Smith." Rick's two fingers dug into the hollows of her eyeliner-stained cheeks, causing her flaky, dry lips to part.

Morty slowly obeyed, peaking behind long wet eyelashes, black and slightly clumped from mascara and a days wear-and-tear.

"That's more like it." His grip on her face loosened. "I love it when you're like this. Your naive, undivided attention on me, believe it or not I like it when we get along." He caressed her jaw in a way that sent an unsettling shiver down Morty's spine. "And, you looked so grown up today too, I thought maybe you'd matured." He threaded his fingers absentmindedly through her hair. "But you prove to me yet again that despite a few hardware differences, you're probably the Mortiest Morty I've had the displeasure of knowing."

Rick ran his hand behind the girls head, meticulously pulling her messy braid loose. "You're not one for breaking stereotypes. Just a dumb Morty." Her hair softly fell on her shoulders. "I don't like yelling at you, but if you're gonna act like a Morty, I'm gonna act like a Rick." His fingers fell through her hair and grazed her neck. It tickled pleasantly, unwelcomely. "I don't tell you to do things for my own health." His head bent even more, lips touching the shell of her ear. She cringed away slightly, as much as she could with no where to go.

Under different circumstance she would have enjoyed this, been enthralled in fact, but this didn't feel right. His actions didn't seem to line up with his intentions.

"I-I'm—" His voice shook not with anger but rather a deep paranoia. He sighed. "I'm trying to keep us together. That Rita, K18ε6? Her Morty is gone."

A wave of nausea and confusion hit Morticia. She had just seen her file a week ago. Had that trafficking-ring-thing really snatched her up within the two weeks of her starting her period? She was even taking the medicine that Rick was wanting to steal!

"To make matters worse, she didn't even have any left over medicine, it's a biannual injection now."

The girl shook her head in disbelief.

"That's right... I said I would help but honestly, I don't know if I can."

Morticia was making the bed vibrate. There was a sound of her lips parting, she exhaled and barely whispered an apology before Rick shushed her. "Grandpa's still talking."

What was the point of this? How was getting all up in her face gonna fix anything?

Rick bit her ear.

 _Oh._ That's what was happening.

Lurching in alarm, her hands clasped around the lapels of the scientists coat.

Her slightly freckled pale skin was heated red and tears bubbled up easily in her already damp eyes.

Whether he knew it or not, this man was recklessly toying with her emotions in a precise way; playing with his food.

Was this supposed to be punishing her? Rick _had_ to know this was coming off as overly sensual... and creepy.

It stirred something inside of her, lust definitely but it wasn't... comfortable sort of overwhelming heat like it had been in the ship. It was on the back burner, if anything it was intimidation that kept her from telling him to back off. It would probably be pointless to try to anyways, he would just get more riled up if she started talking.

'Isn't this what I kind of wanted?' She thought.

He buried his face into the crux of her neck. "I've been so good to you." Yanked by fingers in her brunette locks, Morty's head snapped to the side and her neck was exposed. She hissed and her fingers intertangled with his, trying to get him to loosen his grip, to no avail. Her voice rose in panic. "Rick—"

"You—You have no idea, what other Rick's would've done to you by now." His tongue ran over her skin briefly before Rick sunk his teeth in the soft flesh.

"M-Mmmph!" The teen keened.

Rick fought himself to not draw blood. He was already going for it and might as well of driven the point home.

It was obvious, to Morticia, that she didn't have a right to say no. It didn't seem right after trying to pressure Rick in the ship and making this huge mistake. 'I'd be a hypocrite...'

Hot breath blew across the teeth marks. He pulled away and looked down through half-lidded eyes, and in the moonlight that shone through the window she saw his stone-faced frown.

"Ask me Tisha."

She swallowed, glad he had stopped nipping at her. "W-What would th-th-they do to me Rick?" Voice dry and softly cracking.

In a swift movement he stood up from the bed and yanked her by the ankle so that she was flat on her back. For the second time that day, he straddled her. Hands pinned above her head with one hand, he hovered over her and pressed the weight of his body down, crushing her hips.

Her eyebrows knitted and she attempted to twist out from under him but with no purchase. Rick's odd behavior started to become too much for Morticia, she didn't like this powerless feeling. He could do whatever he wanted to her and it was starting to feel like if she told him to stop, he wouldn't, and even if she fought back, it wouldn't matter because he was stronger. Maybe this is what Rick felt like earlier?

'Is that what he's trying to get across?'

She didn't say anything.

"You would be a second class citizen in the eyes of the Citadel, a Rick's property. And if you weren't owned, you'd either live it down in Morty Town or be taken in their welfare system, I'd wager it's shit considering how most Mortys prefer to live in the slums." He slipped his free hand slowly underneath the hem of her pants. She sucked her gut in as soon as the feeling registered, attempting to get away from his cold touch. "And that's not even the crime-ring that's actively pursuing you." Rick traced indiscernible patterns on the pudge of her lower stomach.

"You wouldn't even have a choice Morty. It wouldn't matter if you were scared or tired or sick." The fingers inches higher, caressing her ribs. A bit ticklish, her hips bucked under his.

"And pretty ones like you? They're the first to spoil." As the shirt was lifted, he placed his fingernail above her navel. She bit back a moan. "You'd be popular, barely having time to yourself. The top bidders of the day would have their way with you." Rick pressed the sharp nail up the center line of her body, stopping at her bra, hooking his fingers on the strap connecting the two cups and let it snap to her chest.

"Your—ehem—' _undercarriage_ ' would always be sore." He used his knee to separate her legs, pressing it up against her groin. Morty sucked in through her teeth. She'd imagined this too many times, it was almost exactly like her fantasy. But something wasn't right, it caused the contents of her stomach to turn to heavy, icy slush.

"Never being able to sit comfortably? Never allowed outside? Forced to live out your utility value on your back, confined to a trashy bed, until demand for you runs out?" He pressed his forehead to hers. "Is that what you want Morticia?"

Tears spilled down her face.

"To be raped everyday until they get tired of you?"

The thought before was disturbing but the blunt terms he used painted a sickening picture for her. And to be told this in such a compromising, submissive position made her skin crawl and her stomach squeeze in disgust. Being overpowered like this, she felt stupid and weak.

Had she been overreacting this whole time? Her intuition said no but she was aware that she had a tendency to be wrong about a lot of things. Up until a week ago, she was swooning daily over Rick. And what? She labeled him the devil all because of a misunderstanding? Is that all it took? Then she went and made it worse by being rebellious and bringing a sketchy character home despite her better judgement.

'He just wanted to keep me safe.'

She felt like the worlds biggest idiot.

She shook her head and whimpered. "N-No."

"That's what I thought." Shifting and pulling her legs around his waist, his expression softened. "C-C'mere, Tisha."

She didn't move from her spot. Instead staring blankly at the ceiling, and sniffling.

Maybe Rick wasn't being a jerk. Maybe he really did just want the best for her. But it definitely didn't feel like it.

But what would she know?

She was 'Just a dumb Morty.' It replayed in her head. Maybe Rick was right, like he usually is about things.

"I'm s-sorry." She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "You're right."

"I'm glad you realized that but moping's not gonna make anything better." He huffed. "Now come on, sit up."

At that she hesitantly propped herself up on her elbows, purposely keeping her eyes down and covered by her bangs. The man grabbed her from under her arms and pulled her up, letting her lay her head on his shoulder.

"You're lucky I'm as forgiving as I am." Rick joked quietly. "But you have to listen to me from now on if you want to have a chance of surviving this." He pet her hair. She closed her eyes.

This was the Rick she loved, the surely it was the 'true Rick'. Past all his questionable ethics, constant berating, boundary crossing, and substance abuse, he was a good person deep down. He had to be.

'Because he cares for me more than any one in the universe.' Her heart swelled wishfully. 'That's why this will still work out. Because he wants to take care of me, it doesn't matter that it's unconventional.'

"I love you, you know that Morty?" Pressed to her ear, he murmured softly.

It wasn't the first time he's said that, but it was the first time he's said that without being intoxicated, in danger or both. So it must be true.

But... she caused him so much trouble, she had to make it up to him. So he would stay. She was sure even he had a breaking point.

She went for his neck, and Rick turned his head away from her, maybe to try and stop her? Or maybe to present more flesh. Like a mortal sacrificing a lamb to a deity for atonement. Atonement from a sin which hadn't been committed yet.

Her lips hovered just above the offering. Rick felt her breathe in. "I love you too."

He smelled like defeat and uncertainty. The scent was bitter, like dried tears. Even though she was this close to him, the smell of alcohol was undetectable. Not even the drug he synthesized a few hours ago had a grip on his mind. He was more sober than he had been in a while, but his mind swam

Morticia nibbled the skin, testing the waters.

He let her. She could feel him tense up, and she waited for him to deny her again. But he only trembled and sighed, making no move to engage or stop her.

The girl licked the tooth imprints, copying Ricks earlier actions in a gentler manner. She wanted him so bad, but didn't want to scare him off. Morty trailed kisses up to his ear.

"Grandpa," That was a risk, using that title which reminded both of them of their blood relationship, but Morty knew how he loved to be called that as much as he denies it. She bit down softly on his ear lobe and grabbed his shoulders, trying to push him down. "Please."

Rick pulled back to look at her expression, then off to the side once more before exhaling loudly. "Fine." Pulling his flask from his coat, he guzzled down all of it and burped as he put the cap back on. "EUGhou got me." He fell back on the bed. They were in the opposite positions they had been in before dawn.

Morticia looked down upon Rick, who gazed upwards at her, a light flush dusted on his cheeks. She drank in the sight, vulnerability is the ultimate aphrodisiac. At least, it should've been.

This felt better, she didn't feel as constrained by Ricks foul mood. But the memories of what had happened mere minutes ago still distracted her. She had a hard time looking at his face without remembering him yelling.

He put a hand behind his head and glimpsed away apprehensively. "Well?" Rick moved a hand to rest on his stomach, briefly touching Morty's.

Her blood was still cold from the conflict, but why? It was over.

Both shared a moment to blush. Morty was thrown in a loop. Rick was... _nervous_ too. It made her own stomach flip.

Ah she was just being too sensitive.

"Are you just gonna sit there?" There he is, there's her Rick. "Didn't you-"

Clumsily smashing her mouth to his, she shut him up. His eyes went wide but closed as she licked his bottom lip.

He opened up immediately. Morticia was quick to deepen the kiss as well. Thoughts about this have plagued her all day.

His kiss tasted nasty.

The lust she felt in the ship eluded her. It was there, but it was hard to get lost in it like before.

Passion wasn't the drive behind her ministrations, but rather guilt. A guilt for fighting with Rick. She could make it up to him.

"I'm sorry Grandpa." She whispered in between kisses desperately. "I'll listen to you."

"Good girl." He replied.

The man let her lead for now, this was her idea after all. He didn't want to hear her complaining if he did anything she didn't like. He did take initiative, however, by moving his hand from his stomach to her cheek to cradle her face, and another to grab her hip.

She hummed in response, tangling a hand in his thinning hair. She pressed her weight on his groin and rutted back and forward languidly, like she'd seen in those pornos, like she'd seen in her dreams.

Rick groaned into her mouth. "Jesus" he bucked up.

It was as if his stomach was shocked. It jolted along with the spike of adrenaline swimming through his veins. Even under the heavy haze of the alcohol, he felt his cock twitched. His hands went rigid. Rick needed a moment to collect himself, well more like to control himself. The man's whole body ached to flip her on her back and take things a little farther. The arousal he felt pulsating through out his body was unrelenting.

But he froze in response, not giving himself any potential to act on this impulse. He exhaled frustratingly out of his nose. It wasn't often he exercised self control.

He didn't know how far she wanted to go.

"D-Did you like that?" She stopped, though still leaned over him.

"Y-Yeah." He croaked softly, his grip on her hip getting tighter.

Morticia huffed and pulled away, her face red. "Rick?" Was he getting mad again?

He opened his eyes, worried she's finally realized how fucked this was. "W-Whaa"

"Come on." She pulled at his coat.

He cocked his brow. "W-Whaaat is it?" Worry making his voice smaller. Rick lifted his head and pulled his hand away. His eyes searching Morty's face for the regret he was so sure she would feel.

"Ugh...Y-You're gonna m-make me say it?" She mumbled under her breath.

"Oh God." Rick propped his elbows behind him. "I-I knew this w-would happen." He ran a hand fervently through his messy hair.

"H-Huh?" Morty tilted her head, irked. "What now?"

Rick shook his head and slurred. "I-I knew it, I told y-y-you, I-" He got pushed down.

"Oh my God, d-don't you want to kiss m-me like you did in the ship?" She absentmindedly hooked a finger in the front of Ricks trousers. Relief fell over his features, amused at Morty's bashfulness. "I can f-f-feel it." She wavered on her knees . "Y-You don't have to be so gent-" He sat up to kiss her, and slipped out of his coat

"Ee!" Morticia was thrown down on her bed then pinned by her lower half, Rick between her legs. He clung to her, their chests pressed to each other, the friction heating them both up. The sounds of clashing lips filled the room.

The girl wrapped her arms around his neck, bracing herself to his onslaught of affection.

Again, she felt trapped, but chalked it up to claustrophobia and pushed through it. It was okay now, he wasn't mad.

'I'm just being silly.'

As he sucked on her lips, she began sneaking her hand underneath his shirt, running her fingers over his thin torso down to his happy trail.

He pulled away and gasps in her ear. "W-What do you, what do you want?"

Instead she thought about what _he_ wanted. She recalled something about how it was hard to keep his hands off.

"R-Rick, touch me. P-Please."

It was like he was waiting for her to say that because as soon as she said 'touch' his hand was under her shirt, traversing the smooth skin of her stomach.

"Get this f-fucking thing off." He pulls the shirt up, Morty lifting her arms. Tossing it aside, he refocused his eyes on his Granddaughter splayed out underneath him. She was already throwing her bra across the room. In a movement of second nature, she went to hold her arms to cover herself but Rick stopped her.

Morty looked off to the side, pouting. "Don't stare."

"W-Why not?" Rick made it a point to stare more obviously.

"Because they're small."

Rick scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Y-You were the one who t-took it off, dummy."

She tried to scowl as much as she could while panting and blushing. Clearly this wasn't the answer Morty was looking for.

"You." You he started. "You... Don't look half bad, so you don't n-need to hide, o-or anything like that." He reassured.

"R-Really?" She squeaked at the weak compliment as he went back down to kiss her collar bone.

"Yeah." His answer was muffled by her skin as he trailed down. "But don't, don't let it get to your head." He bit down on her nipple, groping her other breast with his hand.

"A-Ah!" She arched slightly at the unexpected pinch. With all this sucking and biting, she was beginning to get worked up, she couldn't help but reach a hand between her and Rick, down to her crotch.

Rick promptly swatted her hand away. "I-I got it."

His unoccupied hand which clenched her hip slowly, too slowly, creeped down to her thigh, moving inward until his palm was pressed up against the inseam of her jeans. Her legs tightened around him, her knees having an instinctual need to be pulled together.

"Oh, Oh g-geez Rick." She stuttered.

He rubbed up and down through the fabric, and brought himself eye to eye with Morticia. "Y-You sure you want this?"

She thought Rick wanted it, so she guess she did. She nodded her head.

His eyes grew before drew his attention to the buttons on her pants. His cool, aloof exterior slipped slightly. As he began hastily fiddling with the zipper, his phone went off.

It caused him to jump, ripped from his engrossed state. Rick attempted to sit up but Morty held him in place with her arms around his neck.

"UUh, h-hold on, let me sss-silence that, Tisha." She reluctantly let go and he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, then frowned. "Shit, it's R-Rita."

He glanced at Morty then back at the phone. "I-I should get this."

Morty deflated at that.

"H-Hey, hello?" He answered, struggling to sound sober. He winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. "She is?" He listened for a second, then blew a large breath out. "Yeeah I know that. We're coming down."

He hung up the phone and flopped down on his back beside Morty.

He sighed and put an arm underneath her neck. She turned to her side, resting her face on his chest.

"Llllll-listen, Morty, I-I'll see what we c'n do about, about that Brad guy, but n-now, now we can both h-hopefully agree that we need to e-erase her memory—"

Morticia looked off to the side, sadly. "Yeah."

"—and y-yours too." He added.

Her body fell cold and her breathing stopped.

'That motherfucker.'

The flowery veil over her eyes dropped.

Rick felt her go rigid and he squeezed her tighter.

She pried herself out of his arms. The sound of her teeth grinding resonated within her own head.

Red underneath his eyes and a single tear trickled down his cheek; it felt insincere to her.

"What?" Morty asked firmly, moving to sit on his stomach. "Because you love me?"

"...T-Tisha-"

A bolt stripped in her mind. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She struck out in hot rage.

He was barely able to cover his face in time, her fists slamming down on his arms.

Morty threw her arms up and flung them down again, harder, but still hit his arms. He tried to roll out from under her, only to be squeezed in place tightly by her thighs. She wound up for a another punch, an actual one, coiling down slightly so she could get a better angle. She snapped her elbow straight, hurling her fist directly into his gut, and falling through with the rest of her weight.

"Hrk!" He sounded like he was going to throw up, she didn't care.

His hands shot down to protect his stomach. Taking advantage of this, she quickly moved her seat up to his chest, his arms now pinned to the sides of his body.

She barraged his face, hit after hit but was only able to land a few. With her not sitting on his middle, he twisted his body and freed his arms. He pushed her off.

He finally sat up, but she was back on him in an instant.

"Moorty! Dammit, stop!" He snarled as he captured both her wrists.

" **Fuck. You.** " She leaned back as far as she could and threw herself forward, head-butting him directly in the face.

It hurt, she didn't care.

He fell back with a single grunt. Morty screamed, thrashing him with everything she had left.

But after a minute she realized he wasn't moving.

She let her hands drop to her side, gasping for breath.

It took a few second for the rage to clear from her sight but when it did...

Oh God.

'What have I done?'

It was hideous.

Morticia felt an abrupt disconnect with her surroundings; she went into a different state of mind so it seemed. Time went by slower, the girl felt she had been in a car going 60 only for it to screech to a stop. Her eyes focused on the trauma and her hearing went fuzzy.

In a morbid way, it was mesmerizing watching the eyelids swell in real-time, slightly parted but not seeing. Turning red as a preview for the blacks and purples to come later. A horizontal gash probably from Morty's nail swelled on the apple of his left cheek, that would explain the blood on her fingers.

Blood and snot pooled on his Cupid's bow. It wasn't unusual to see blood on her Grandpa's pallid fading skin, however it was unusual to see so much gore on him while he's not moving.

A wet sucking sound from the man underneath her slingshotted her back into the present. It wasn't from his mouth but from his bloodied and utterly mutilated nose, if you could call it that anymore. It was the sound of agonal breathing.

"R-Rick?" She put her red stained hands to cover her quivering lip.

He didn't answer, only barely able to pull shallow breaths to his lungs through compromised airways.

She was worse than him. As much as she wanted to believe Rick would forgive her, she knew this had gone too far.

Who knows what he would do once he woke up.

Morticia whimpered and stumbled off the bed.

She needed to leave.

Clumsily running to the her desk, she reached for her back pack.

Where was she going to go? Rick would find her nearly instantaneously if she went anywhere by foot. She couldn't bring her phone, she didn't have a car.

As she poured out the contents of her bag on the ground. What did she need?

She grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk and threw it in her bag. Maybe for protection? Her eyes scanned the rest of her belonging until her eye caught the two guns.

Of course. Rick had put the coordinates to the Citadel in! She decided in a split second that that was where she was going. What she would do there she didn't know, but that was a thought for the future.

She heard Rick groan and swiveled her head towards him, but he only twitched.

She slipped on a plain yellow t-shirt that she picked up from a pile of laundry. She didn't have time to find a bra, but she did grab a hoodie and a pair of jeans and shove it into her bag, not knowing what kind of weather to expect. Pocketing blaster and arming herself with the portal gun, she was ready.

She aimed for the ground and was about to shoot until she heard Ricks phone ring again.

That's right! She couldn't just leave Jessica here.

She held the portal gun under her arm and pulled out the blaster as she made her way to the door

Morticia slipped on something, fumbled, but caught herself.

Glimpsing back, it was Shae's phone. She noticed it still lit up from being touched.

'More the reason not to stay here.' She turned back.

She twisted the door knob with her free hand but it wouldn't budge with the green glass covering situated on it. She gave it a kick, which banged loudly against the surface, but didn't give.

She heard the bed squeak. Turning around she saw Rick grabbing his face, lumbering towards her, drunk on whisky and rage. He flung himself.

She ducked out from his grasp, his body slamming into the sound barrier, shattering it.

Using the door, not caring when individual shards stuck into his hands, he launched himself towards her once more. "Agh! G-Give me that!" The man attempted to throw his arms around her, only to fall prey to a blast from his own weapon through his leg.

"AURgh!" He toppled down, the young Smith sidestepped the falling elder and broke for the door.

With a yank of the door knob the rest of the crumbling translucent sheet collapsed and the door swung open.

She shot out of the room and shoulders bounced against the wall as she barreled down the stairs.

The door to the garage was still ajar.

" **MORTICIA!** " A bellow rang through out the house.

The teen stumbled over the threshold, knees colliding with the ground, the concrete distressing her jeggings. She slid to a stop an arms length away from the hatch on the ground. Morty yanked the entrance to the subterranean lair open.

"Get off of me!" Jessica spat viciously.

Rita and Jessica appeared to be having their own skirmish, it was less of a fight and more of Rita trying to keep the teen from climbing the ladder.

The redhead looked relieved if only for a second. "Morty!" She backed away from the ladder.

Morty quickly descended, closing the door above her.

"W-Where's your Rick?" Rita eyed the blaster suspiciously with her one good eye.

"Uhhhh." With her norepinephrine-addled brain and a blaster in her hand, it only came naturally to point it at anyone who got in her way. "I-I'm sorry." Morty shot her in the stomach.

The old woman fell back against a console and gripped herself.

"Morty!" Jessica squawked.

"M-Morticia, don't go! It's not safe!" Rita earnestly begged. "I'm warning you!" She tried pull her self up only to slump and thud into the metal again.

Jessica's eyes bulged at the woman's attempts to stand up. "Morty, you just shot her!"

'Obviously'

"D-Don't think about it!" She shoved the blaster into the redheads hand. "Follow me." She untucked the portal gun from under her arm and shot the wall, leading a balking Jessica by her elbow.

"Wait, Where are we going?" Jessica dragged her feet and tried to unhook her arm.

"The Cit—ah!" A blast from behind the two zipped right past Morty and Jessica's ear, hitting the portal. The girls looked back to see Rita pointing that finger gun at them.

"Come back here! I'm not mad. I-I'll talk to Rick, just don't go!" She desperately bargained.

The two ran forward to the opening.

Rita, in a last attempt to keep them here, fired another warning shot. The blast grazing the side of Morty's calf, causing her to tumble through the portal, bringing Jessica with her.

It closed.

* * *

Aaaaaaand that's the end of section 1!

I really hope I don't come off as trying to paint Rick as a good guy. Like he's acting pretty gross obviously and I'm trying to tell the story in a way that conveys Morticias skewed sense of love... while also writing smut.

Don't look at me.

Anyways We find our lovely protagonist in the hustle and bustle of the Citadel in the next chapter

Agh I don't know why I put these notes here sometimes, well I do but it's not fun to state the obvious

Feel free to message me about anything at all, its on my profile. With college, working to pay for college and exercise, I don't really get the chance to talk about things with people.

Comments are always appreciated, but really I'm just motivated by the fact that anybody is reading this at all!

So thank you.

(If Theres any syntax/grammar errors I missed, sorry I'm like the worst editor. I hate editing)


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